


Checkered Hearts

by rocknrollprincess131



Category: Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, Chicago PD (TV)
Genre: Chicago Fire - Freeform, Children, Depression, Dysfunctional Relationships, F/M, Marriage, NASCAR, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-15
Updated: 2017-11-03
Packaged: 2018-05-14 01:01:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 28
Words: 99,604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5723641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rocknrollprincess131/pseuds/rocknrollprincess131
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Halstead brothers are amongst the highest ranked drivers in all of NASCAR, descended from their superstar father Kirkland. Jay and his wife Erin live happily with their two sons and are expecting a baby girl. Will is hardly ever around, neglecting his wife Lola and their daughter, making Lola contemplate her life's choices and if they should be together. Linstead and Will/OC.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Comedy and Tragedy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erin and Lola, married to NASCAR superstars Jay and Will Halstead, respectively, reflect on their lives since entering the famous family. For Erin, things are seemingly perfect with two handsome boys and a baby girl on the way. For Lola, Will is hardly ever around and is neglecting their daughter Paisley.

**Hello, world! I'm so excited to be presenting my first ever stories for the _Chicago_ franchise! Until opens the _Chicago Med_ fandom, these will be posted in both _Chicago Fire_ and _Chicago P.D.,_ limiting to the characters I can post, but there will be lots of characters crossing over in both stories! Sorry to be inaccurate to the fandom, but in both stories Will will be the older brother. They kind of screwed up the casting on that one, considering that Nick looks older than Jesse, but they're still too cute! These stories will be my take on him, but he comes around as the chapters go on. Also, since I'm new to this fandom, go easy on me if anybody appears to be out of character. I'm still getting into the groove of writing these characters. I hope you enjoy and spread the word! :) My dad is a race car driver, so are my uncle and cousin, I got the idea for this story while watching Jeff Gordon's last race a while back.**

**_Chapter One: Comedy and Tragedy_ **

Rays of sunshine beamed into the white room, contrasting perfectly with the blue skies and marshmallow clouds.

Erin Lindsay-Halstead opened her eyes, smiling in a still half asleep state, feeling his arms wrapped around her. She looked over her shoulder to see that Jay was still asleep, a look of peace on his handsome face, the sunlight bringing out the few freckles he had. Even in his sleep, her husband looked so delicious, she simply had to lean in and give his lips the featheriest of pecks. When Erin pulled away, Jay was smiling.

"Good morning, beautiful."

"Hey yourself, sexy."

She got up to go to the powder room, but Jay pulled her back into bed, wrapping his arms and leg around her as she chuckled.

"Jay, I really have to go to the bathroom."

He laughed, his eyes still closed. "Just stay with me a few minutes longer." He nuzzled Erin's neck, his hands ran up and down the satin of her nightgown, arriving at her stomach. "This little one is kicking up quite a storm."

Erin rested her hand on top of Jay's. "She sure is."

"Third time's a charm, we're finally getting our girl."

"Tell me about it. Another boy and it would be _Animal House_."

Ryder Kirkland and Tripp Hankson, their two dashing young sons, were quite the handful regardless of being on opposite ends of the spectrum.

Ryder was pretty much his father's immaculate conception, clear piercing blue eyes and dark brown hair with a hint of red in it, he was already learning the ropes of the track by taking go-kart lessons and competing in races. When he wasn't practicing, he usually had his nose in a book, already reading at a middle school level, which was incredibly precocious for eight years old.

Tripp also looked like Jay but had his mother's honey colored eyes and a bit of a rounder face, brown hair kissed by the sun with blonde. He was always running around and climbing on whatever he could, wanting to reach the sky, exhibiting the innocence of his four years. Although he was interested in model cars and planes, he still had fun whenever he was at the track with his dad and brother.

"Time flies by so fast. She'll be born in five months, then she'll be in preschool. Can you imagine what it'll be like when she starts dating?"

Jay groaned, burying his head into the pillow. "Don't even get me started. I've already picked out a Louisville Slugger to chase away the first punk that breaks her heart."

"Like two older brothers won't be enough already."

Jay ran his hand through Erin's hair, smiling. "What I do know is that she'll be beautiful, just like you." He pulled her in for a kiss, loving every second of it.

They had met sixteen years ago under unlikely events. Erin had had a hard life growing up. Both of her parents were drug addicts, her father in prison and her mother Bunny throwing away parental responsibilities just to get a fix from whatever guy would give it to her. Her brother Teddy had run away from home and was never heard from again.

At a young age, Erin learned to fend for and take care of herself, practically living on the streets and already had five arrests on her record by fourteen years old. The only solace she had was sneaking into the Chicago Motor Speedway, watching the races from the top of the bleachers and staying until the lights went out, getting lost in the speed and action of it all. This was how she met Voight.

Hank Voight was co-owner of Halstead-Voight Racing, one of the top racing teams in NASCAR. Both he and his partner/best friend, Kirkland Halstead, had been highly renowned in the sport, but opted out early after a horrific seven car pile up nearly cost them their lives. They were training their sons, Kirkland's seventeen year old Will and fifteen year old Jay and Hank's fourteen year old Justin to become the next NASCAR champs almost since they were walking.

Voight had come across Erin one night when a security guard was attempting to rough her up. After coming to her rescue and hearing Erin's tragic story over hot chocolate at the diner down the street, he knew he had to take action. He arranged it so he would be her legal guardian, enrolled her in St. Ignatius College Prep, moved her in and raised her like the daughter he never had. Erin became a pit crew girl for the team, checking the inventory, stocking up on merchandise, filling orders and calculating race times, which was how she met Jay.

They had been friends for about a year when Jay finally asked her out- when the time was allowed between school and racing- and they had been together ever since. Jay asked Erin to marry him after winning the Sprint Cup at twenty years old. While she was ecstatic to marry her first and only love, she knew that the awaiting future couldn't begin without settling her past.

After seeing their picture on ESPN in some seedy dive bar, Bunny had tried to "make amends", saying she had changed, but Erin saw right through her wanting to be along for the ride. She finally found Teddy following a desperate six month search, who was living on the streets as a male prostitute with his best friend Nadia, a seventeen year old heroin addict and prostitute. Erin got them both into rehab and became better acquainted with Nadia, who was a very sweet and pretty young girl.

Erin had not enrolled into college following high school graduation, but she wanted to have some kind of career for herself besides being Jay's wife and mother of his children. Jay had suggested that since they had unlimited funds, she should start a company. Two years after their first son Ryder was born, Erin opened up a rehabilitation center for troubled youths with Teddy and Nadia helping her run it. The center provided psychological counseling, in patient residency, pet therapy, yoga, Akido, anger management classes, A.A. and N.A. meetings, all at affordable prices.

At almost thirty, Erin's life really was perfect. A wonderful husband, two handsome sons with a precious baby girl on the way, a successful business, a homey mansion with the cutest getaway cabin in Wisconsin. There was nothing she wanted for.

 

Lola Halstead's mind was awake, but her eyes were still closed, feeling the sun's warmth against her eyelids. Why was there any reason to wake at all? She had been having such a peaceful sleep.

Lola rolled over, feeling the space next to her on the bed, only to be met with the feel of satin sheets under her fingers. It had once again been a lonely night, her husband's side empty instead of surprising her when she woke up.

**_God forbid he'd ever come home early._ **

A part of her was too comfortable in the oversized California King bed to get up. It would be really nice to sleep in for the rest of the day, have Inez bring up brunch, even watch TV, but she knew she couldn't. There was simply too much to do today. Will and Jay's father Kirkland was turning sixty years old in a few days, wanting an intimate dinner with his two sons and their families on his birthday night, with a lavish banquet being thrown in his honor that weekend. Lola still had to finalize last minute details, as well as getting Paisley to her art lessons and dance classes in between going to day camp with her cousins.

Reluctantly, she rose from the bed's seclusion and put on her silk robe, padding into her massive bathroom. Nothing was going to be getting itself done anytime soon.

Looking in the mirror, Lola couldn't get herself to smile. In her mind, she didn't even look like the same girl anymore. In Will's eyes, she had been beautiful but deeply flawed, which is why she had to be fixed. He didn't like that she made her hair blonde three months after they started dating because it reminded him too much of his first ex-wife, so it was colored back to her natural deep brown with light brown and dark red lowlights. Her nose and teeth, the latter having shifted from wisdom teeth coming in, were fixed and straightened. Her still youthful body had been completely reconstructed from head to toe, which included a tummy tuck, breast enhancement, and laser treatments for stretch marks and cellulite after giving birth to their daughter. At this point, she might as well have Fisher Price stamped on her ass. There were some days she barely recognized the reflection staring back at her, no matter how great and natural it looked.

In hindsight, she didn't think that this was how things would come about. They had met six years ago at a Chicago Bulls game when she was one of the cheerleaders, a freshman while putting herself through college and living in the city. Will had just gotten divorced from Wife #2, an ER doctor, after four years. In an attempt to cheer him up, his brother Jay surprised him with tickets to the first game of the season, with their fellow NASCAR drivers Adam Ruzek, Justin Voight, Matt Casey and Kelly Severide in attendance. It had been a huge deal that Chicago's finest on the track would be at United Center. Lola's best friend and roommate Sylvie Brett, head of public relations for the team, had been a nervous wreck all week. She upgraded their tickets from middle tenth row to court side floor seats, right up in all the action, and made sure there was always somebody on top of getting them refills of beer and nachos, not to mention dozens of freebies.

Naturally, being the first game of the season, the stakes were raised. Everything went off smoothly, the Bulls were ahead fifteen points and as a surprise Chicago's own Fall Out Boy was performing a special but rare halftime show, the cheerleaders alongside with them. Since it was a mashup mix of six of their songs, the girls were constantly switched during the routine, having Lola in the front more times than not.

Even with a packed stadium of screaming fans, flashing lights and pyrotechnics set to Fall Out Boy's electronic hypnosis of rock, she could feel Will Halstead's eyes on her that night, although she never admitted it. Lola had smiled and winked a couple times when they made eye contact, just like she knew to do to demonstrate the sparkle, like all the cheerleaders did. Her heart rate picked up a bit when she saw him motioning for Sylvie and pointing at her, but brushed it off as nothing.

When the six of them appeared outside the locker room after the game, Lola assumed that they were there to meet the players or to try to pick up on Chili or April, her feisty co-cheerleaders, all the guys liked them. Chili was one of the boys yet could still be girly and sexy at the same time, April was a Nubian goddess who was even smoother and sassier than she was on the court.

To Lola's surprise, Will was there for her, the rest of the guys were just waiting for him. Sylvie saw this as a perfect photo op and had her pose with the drivers. In between checking out her body in the red and black leather pants and balero top she was still wearing from the performance, Will had tried all his charm in asking her on a date, but Lola shot him down immediately. She refused to be another cheerleader rebound, having known about his previous engagement to a Blackhawks cheerleader before Wife #2. Besides, she knew the kind of guy he was and he hadn't been the first one to drool over her, they were all the same. He'd bed and drop her once the next hot little foxtail came along, it was safer to avoid the whole thing altogether.

To prove he was serious, Will took off his father's Paul Newman Ferrari Red Rolex Daytona watch and put it on her wrist, leaving everybody around them speechless. He told Lola to let him know when to come back, giving her a wink and a smile before walking off. With Sylvie's persistence, she had convinced Lola to go after him, catching them just in time before leaving.

Overnight, Lola's blossoming relationship with Will had turned her world upside down. Boxes of jewelry and expensive chocolates were sent to her every day, front row seats to all his races, being swept away to the tropics out of the blue, the press describing their courtship a "whirlwind romance".

While she was gracious for everything, none of it mattered. She had been so wrong about her first impression of Will, coming to know him as a sensitive and caring person instead of the playboy she presumed him to be, he even agreed to wait three months before sleeping together. Yes, he had a tendency to be a bit controlling, but she wrote it off as him wanting her to be the best she could be. Lola's past relationships hadn't been anything too serious, nothing like this at least, she was really falling in love with him. Oh, how naive and love struck she had been.

After six months of dating, they were married on Talladega Speedway, where he had won his first big race, and honeymooned in Australia. The first year of their marriage was a dream, and things were even more incredible for the couple when Lola became pregnant with their first child, ironically the same time as her sister-in-law, Erin. Kirkland had been thrilled that there would now be two more boys to further the Halstead family team of race car drivers, making them unstoppable in the sport. The only problem was that when Erin gave birth to her second son in April of 2012, Lola gave birth to a baby girl ten days later.

While Will loved Paisley dearly, Lola knew there was still disappointment because she had not been born a boy. She would be incapable of following in her father's footsteps and fulfilling his legacy, even though Chicago born driver Kim Burgess was a rising star in the racing world. They had tried getting pregnant again, but Will's schedule kept getting busier and busier over the past few years. The Halstead brothers were the highest NASCAR drivers in demand, when they weren't at races or practicing they were off shooting an endorsement ad for their sponsors, at meetings to expand their empire or popping up on late night talk shows.

At times like this, Lola became incredibly paranoid that Will was cheating, convincing herself of his resentment towards her. While he might not have looked like Chris Hemsworth, he was definitely the Chris Hemsworth of the racing world. Will possessed such a charm and allure that whomever he met became immediately entranced. Will Halstead really had it all, a wife to keep the house in perfect maintenance and take care of his child, and god knows how many whores on the side that he could fuck and have his way with whenever he so felt like it. Nobody turned him down. Whatever he wanted, he got, his heart's desires having no limits.

There were days when Lola wondered if Will even loved her anymore. He said he did, he acted like he did in the ways he touched her when they'd make love (and not just rough fucks), but she could still feel him pulling away from her, all because she hadn't given him a son. Lola wanted to make Will happy, except for he needed to put more focus on her and their family, which he was practically unwilling to do.

She didn't really have any friends anymore, raising Paisley as pretty much a single parent took up a lot of her time. Sure, she still talked to Sylvie and Chili and April, but they were busy with their own lives and careers. She also had her sister-in-law Erin, with the two of them being the heads of the Chicago NASCAR WAGs. While they were pretty close, as close as their husbands were, Lola kept to herself. She didn't want to burden Erin or Sylvie or anybody, the last thing she needed was pity or to be the possible topic of gossip from the WAGs. Her parents wouldn't understand, they were still too enamored that their youngest daughter married a NASCAR driver and all the perks it afforded them. Jessica and Tamara, her two older sisters, were too preoccupied with their own lives, Jessica was married to a doctor and had four children while Tamara was married to a police detective and had three kids.

What nobody knew was that she had been seeing a psychiatrist, sometimes thrice a week. He had given Lola an official diagnosis of depression and put her on psychotropics and antipsychotics. They seemed to be working, she was able to function and further the facade she was forced to wear of happy housewife and mother. The last thing she wanted was for Paisley to catch on with the troubles of their marriage, which is why Lola kept her incredibly busy. She loved her daughter more than anything in the world and would do anything for her, but she also knew the girl had a huge complex from not spending enough time with her father.

At almost twenty five, Lola's life was the farthest thing from flawless. A possibly cheating superstar husband that was gone more times than he was home, a daughter that longed for him, being trapped in a luxurious mansion prison, trying everything just to make it through the day.


	2. Invisibly Broken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will surprises Lola by coming home early, but has an ulterior motive up his sleeve that leaves his young wife devastated; Erin expresses to Jay her concerns over Lola.

**Hi, everybody! Sorry I didn't update sooner, I was swamped with the holidays, lots of reading, writer's block and a flare up with my wrist, but all is good now! How intense was the crossover?!**

**I'm so glad that the _Chicago Med_ fandom has finally been put up on here! I'm not sure if I've mentioned this before, but I AM not a fan of Natstead/Manstead whatever the kids are calling it, but to each is own. I think she is a good doctor but all wrong for Will. Like I stated last time, these stories will be my take on him, but he comes around as the chapters go on. I think I'm finally getting into the groove of the characters, and as we have seen Will has a tendency to be a bit cocky. I hope nobody is mad, stick with the story! :)**

**I made some changes from last time. Will and Lola's daughter is now named Paisley so my story won't be confused with Ms Isabella's, Will and Jay's father is turning sixty instead of fifty, Jay's legal first name is Jonathan, Jimmy has two brothers (I couldn't remember the one's name on the show, so I just picked another one), and Halstead-Voight Racing as of now had five drivers, which is unusual but I need to figure out the numbers later on. For Kirkland Halstead and Tawny Rae I picture Richard Gere now and Kathleen Robertson when she was in _Scary Movie 2_ and she had red hair. I will post Paisley's dossier on Pinterest, she's so cute! Be sure to check out _Not Just Medicine- Chicago Med_ by EngieFangirl and _Walking On A Thin Line_ by Ms Isabella!**

**_WARNING: SEXUAL CONTENT!_ **

**_Chapter Two: Invisibly Broken_ **

Lola sighed contentedly, the hot water of the shower hitting her body. It had been such a long, dragged out day. For not having a career of her own, Lola certainly was busy.

While Paisley had a nanny, Lola didn't want to be too reliant on her, still wanting to be an available mother to her daughter. After seeing Paisley off at the Hummer limo pickup for day camp, Lola ran around town doing errands, securing things for Kirkland's party and making sure the house was spotless for when Will came home tomorrow. In between this, she had managed to squeeze in lunch with Sylvie, who tried to find out what was wrong. Lola shook it off, wanting to hear all about her work and the new man in her life.

Right now, all she wanted to do was enjoy this shower, slip into her pajamas and crawl under the covers.

"Hey, gorgeous."

Lola gasped, turning around to be greeted to the sight of her naked husband standing in the middle of the shower. Will and Lola had separate bathrooms and closets, but their rock and cobblestone waterfall cave shower had two entrances from either side, also including a rock bench and a window providing a fabulous view of the city.

"Will! You scared me." She crossed her arms over her chest and tucked one leg in front of the other.

Amused with his wife's sudden modesty, Will raised an eyebrow, something of a smirk on his face as he checked out what was visible of her body. "Waiting for somebody else?"

"What? No! Of course not. Hi." She leaned up and pecked him gently on the lips.

"Didn't you hear the motion detector go off?"

Lola shook her head. "No, I didn't. I've been in here for a while. Did you peek in on Paisley?"

"I did, she looks like such a little angel when she's asleep."

"Yes, she does. I wasn't expecting you until tomorrow."

"Well, I was starting to get homesick, I missed my girls."

"You did?" Lola could feel her face breaking out into a big smile. Perhaps he did care more than she thought he did.

He nodded. "Of course. That and you're going to have me around for the next three weeks. Now," Will reached out and uncrossed her arms, grinning wickedly. "are you going to invite me in or am I going to stand here with a massive boner watching you?"

She looked down, his visible erection and the shower's steam heating up her own inner desires. The latest medication was known to decrease sex drive, luckily Will hadn't been around to notice. Right now it was more fired up than she could think of.

Lola grabbed Will by the wrist and pulled them closer together, uniting their lips with her hand on the nape of his neck and his hands on her face. He kissed her hungrily as the water washed over their aroused bodies, leaving Lola's lips to kiss and nibble down her neck to her breasts, pressing them together and tonguing her nipples. Will smiled to himself, Dr. Whillhite certainly had done a fantastic job, they felt so natural.

"Mmm, I missed you so much." Lola pulled him up from her chest and back to her lips again, loving how his lean and muscular body felt against her. Languid licks of her teeth were his tongue begging for entrance into her mouth, which she gladly accepted.

"Me too, babe. I've been thinking about you all day, I've been hard since I walked in the door." He whispered in her ear, his hands groping her ass and pulling her in closer so she could feel. "Why don't you treat yourself to a taste?"

In a half-gentle/half aroused manner, Will pushed Lola down to her knees and then the back of her head closer to his groin, feeling himself become even more rigid once her hot breath enveloped his length.

"Mmm, Lola. Take the whole thing, suck my cock. You're so good. Be my dirty little porn star."

As he watched, bobbing her head on him faster while her tongue wrapped every which way, Will had to hold onto the rocks of the shower. Out of all his wives, Lola gave the best head. True, she had been a little rough around the edges at first, but she was a natural in the end. The feeling of his member down her throat reminded him of the other tightnesses her body held, but he also felt like returning the favor.

"I can't wait any longer."

Will hoisted her up on the windowsill and parted her legs, burying his face between them. As he proceeded to ravage her pink pearl with licks and kisses, Lola felt herself becoming more aroused, her mind in too much of a fog to remember the last time she had felt this good. It had been so long, and she needed this right now.

"Don't tease me... It's been too long. I want you, Will." She moaned, her golden cat eyes fluttering from the precision of his mouth's love on her.

Will glanced up, seeing that his wife was enraptured, right where he wanted her. Getting off his knees and to his feet, he wrapped Lola's legs around his waist and thrust forward, the invasion of her fortress making his young bride quiver in lust. They kissed ardently as Will pounded into Lola, holding onto her thighs before putting her ankles on his shoulders, gripping her ass against the wall.

The soft moans and the cooing of his name coming out of her mouth, begging him not to stop, clinging to his shoulders for dear life, enticed Will to go even further, rolling his hips which each push of his length inside. The sight of Lola's body alone was enough to make him come in his pants at the thought of her, but having her in his arms was so much better.

"God, you are so fucking hot, you know that? My young, sexy, smokin' hot wife." He smacked her ass with a grin on his face.

Will knew that in addition to his success and many wins, he was also envied by many for her. He couldn't have tailor made a better wife. She was sweet and naturally beautiful, but after his suggested alterations, she was perfection.

"Will, honey, I think I'm close. I'm so close!"

Lola dug her fingernails into his back as she was hit by a climatic tidal wave of pleasure, making her whole body shake.

**_"OH, GOD!"_ **

**_"FUCK!"_ **

He groaned, bucking his hips at maximum velocity, exploding his seed inside her. Once their delicious climax subsided, the heat from the shower set in, perspiration on their rosy faces. Will buried his face in her neck, catching his breath. Lola ran her fingers through his auburn hair.

"Wow. Will, that was-"

"Really, really something, right?" He rested his forehead against hers.

She nodded. "Oh, yes." It was then she noticed that he was hard again.

"Prepare yourself, because it's not over yet."

Never once pulling out, Will carried her from the shower, not even bothering to turn it off. She held onto him tightly, kissing his neck until they fell back on the bed, her hair fanning out in waves on the sheets, the moonlight peeking through the window illuminated their silhouettes. Kissing her all over, he was ready to go again for round two when Lola pulled back.

"Wait, wait a second."

"What? What's wrong?" Will asked, looking down.

Lola's heart skipped a beat as she took his face in her hands. "It's you and me all the way, right? There isn't going to be a Wife #4?" The question itself made her want to tear up, not knowing what would come out of his mouth. What if her suspicions were all in her head? And what if they weren't? Would he confess the truth or feed her a lie?

"Oh, Lola." He cupped her cheek, gazing at her with such certainty. "Of course there won't be. You're the mother of my child and will be the mother of whatever future children we have. I could never do something so wrong as breaking you're heart, I'd die."

If only he knew that he already had broken her heart, quite a few times over, and Paisley's. "I want to make you happy, Will, but a relationship takes two people. You have to put forth more effort, despite how crazy your schedule gets. For me, for Paize. She really misses her daddy."

He nodded. "I know, baby. Believe me, I do. It's been on my mind lately, that I haven't been as attentive to you girls like I should be. As a husband and a father, I made vows and promises, I need to see them through. We'll make the most of the time we have together while I'm home, ok?"

Before Lola could reply, Will softly kissed her, pulling out to the tip and slowly sliding inside, making gentle love to his wife for the rest of the evening. He did love her, but he didn't know how much longer he could keep living a double life, keeping things from her. Maybe things would change for the better.

Lola couldn't remember when she last felt this good, this hopeful, but she wanted to hang on for as long as possible. Regardless of everything she thought was true, at the end of the day, he was her husband. She loved him deeply, so deeply to almost make her believe that her worries were just bad thoughts... Almost.

 

Lola happily greeted the day when she awoke, feeling the warmth of his embrace had her in all smiles. Rolling over, she draped an arm and leg over him, one hand on his face.

"Hello there, my handsome man."

He smiled before opening his eyes. "Good morning, sunshine. It feels like it's been forever since I've seen that smile of yours."

"Likewise for you."

Will gave her a kiss before glancing at the clock on the television. "Crap, it's nearly nine. I'm meeting Antonio for a 90 minute session."

"You don't need that, you're already the sexiest man alive."

"Ha, thanks. Tell _People Magazine_ and then I'll believe it."

"I'll make you believe it now." Their nude bodies still entangled, Lola pressed her lips to his, pulling Will on top of her and kissing him passionately.

He groped her body through the sheets, becoming aroused once again. "Alright, fine. I suppose I'm kind of sexy." Will moved the hair out of her face, staring into her eyes. "Not like you though. You're so beautiful, Lola."

Lola felt her face heating up, but shrugged it off with a giggle, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and kissing his neck. "God, it feels so amazing waking up in your arms, having you next to me. I've missed it so much."

He returned the smile, his hands lingering on the small of her back. "I know, it gets lonely for me, too. I thought I'd never get to sleep last night after having eight cups of coffee, but I did."

"Why did you have eight cups of coffee?" She asked with a laugh, ruffling his hair.

"I read online that drinking coffee right before sex can increase the chances of having a boy, not to mention doing it standing up and in doggy style." With a wink, Will got up and walked to his closet.

Lola just barely heard the knocking at the door over her shock. Will hadn't missed her at all, had he? No, he hadn't. That had just been a lie, a manipulation tactic to get her to spread her legs. She wasn't his wife, the only thing he saw her as was a breeding house cat. Why was she torturing herself?

"Mommy? I'm ready for camp." Came a slightly squeaky voice from the other side of the door.

"Come on in, honey." Will said, strolling out in a ribbed tank top, shorts and sneakers before sitting down on the edge of the bed. Lola barely had enough time to throw her robe on before the door flung open.

"Dad-dy!"

Paisley was beaming from ear to ear as she flew into Will's lap, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck.

"Hi, sweetheart." He returned the hug, giving her a kiss.

"I missed you so so so so much!"

With her light red/brown hair, green eyes and pinchable cheeks, Paisley was an absolutely adorable little girl, loved by everybody she met. Lola often called her "Little Dolly", constantly changing outfits and taking pictures when she was still a baby.

"Daddy missed you, too, my Peppermint Paisley. What do you say I drop you off at camp?"

Paisley's smile went even wider if that was possible. "Yay!" She crawled across the bed and gave Lola a hug good bye. "Bye, Mommy. I love you so much."

Lola hugged her daughter and gave her a big kiss. "Bye-bye, my little dolly. I'll see you at three for pickup. Are you sure you have everything with you?"

The toddler nodded. "Yep, I packed up my backpack and ate breakfast, I'm all ready!"

"Wow, when did you become so mature, Pasil? I swear, it's like every time I come back you've learned something new." Will said, petting her hair.

"Then maybe you shouldn't go away as much, Daddy."

"Ha ha, very funny. I'll be around plenty for the next three weeks, but we gotta hurry or we'll both be late. Wait for me downstairs, I'm right behind you."

"Ok!"

Once Paisley left the room, Will turned to Lola, oblivious to the sadness that hung in the air. "What do you have planned for today? I'm going to practice at Chicagoland following my session, but I'll be home afterwards. We can kill some time until we have to pick up Paisley." He grinned lasciviously.

"Oh, ok. I have a bunch of errands to run. Erin's baby shower isn't going to plan itself, unfortunately. At least Tawny Rae wants to help this time around."

Will rolled his eyes at the mention of his one-time fling, who was now his father's new wife. "Oh, God. I swear every time I hear her name I want to cringe, it's bad enough that I have to see her in two days."

Lola shrugged, hugging her knees. "She's actually kind of sweet."

"Don't get too close, Lola. The fact that he's been with her for this long is a fluke. I know it, Jay and Erin know it. It's about time you learned it, too." He walked over, giving her a kiss on the head before grabbing his keys off the nightstand. "I'll see you in a few hours. Have a good one."

"Bye. Love you."

Except he had already shut the door before he could hear her. Once Will was gone, Lola buried her face in her pillow, letting her tears fall. The second she thought things were improving, the downward spiral went even deeper and faster.

**_TWO DAYS LATER_ **

"Has she said anything to you?" Jay asked, turning the corner of Erringer and Houseton.

Erin shook her head, thankful that the boys were distracted in the backseat. "No, and I don't think she will. I can just see it in her eyes, Jay. She has such a sad, vulnerable look, even when she smiles. I'm telling you, something is going on."

The questionable demeanor of her sister-in-law had been on the back of Erin's mind for days, weeks even. She had noticed it a month ago when they went shopping, the younger girl didn't have much to say and racked up a huge bill on Will's Black American Express card. Lately Lola seemed distant, almost distracted. Whatever it was, Erin wanted to get to the bottom of it.

"Yeah, well if there is, Will is definitely keeping tight lipped about it. He's not one to air his dirty laundry to anybody, and I'm his brother. I swear, he goes above and beyond to maintain the image of a perfect life. Maybe the three weeks off until the Duck Commander 500 will do him some good, let's hope he actually spends it with his family." He grabbed Erin's hand as they parked in the driveway.

Kirkland Halstead's house was on at least fifty acres, with a pool, tennis court, personal race track and two six car garages. After his wife Jackie passed away, he considered selling it to a developer for luxury condos until he started up with Tawny Rae, who convinced him to keep the place. She claimed it was for the grandkids to know their fathers' childhood home, but who knew with her?

"All I'm saying is observe her, let me know that I'm not going crazy." Erin heavily sighed, getting out of the family's Lincoln Navigator when she noticed Will's M6 BMW pull up next to them.


	3. Haunting Acknowledgment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will and Jay's father, former NASCAR superstar and Halstead-Voight Racing co-owner Kirkland, lambastes his sons for their poor racing results; Lola approaches her father-in-law and gets more than she bargained for; Erin's attempting in getting Lola to open up fail, with Jay noticing what was earlier pointed out; Will breaks down to Lola.

**Hi, everybody! Two updates in a week? I'm on a roll! Thank you so much for all the wonderful reviews and follows!**

**The author's note from the previous chapter was meant to go in this one, I split the chapter at the last minute, so here it is again: I made some changes from last time. Will and Lola's daughter is now named Paisley so my story won't be confused with Ms Isabella's, Will and Jay's father is turning sixty instead of fifty, Jay's legal first name is Jonathan, Jimmy has two brothers (I couldn't remember the one's name on the show, so I just picked another one), and Halstead-Voight Racing as of now has five drivers, which is unusual but I need to figure out the numbers later on. For Kirkland Halstead and Tawny Rae I picture Richard Gere now and Kathleen Robertson when she was in _Scary Movie 2_ and she had red hair. I will post Paisley's dossier on Pinterest, she's so cute! Apple is not an official NASCAR sponsor, but I thought I'd switch it up a bit.**

_**Chapter Three: Haunting Acknowledgment** _

"What's going on, little brother?" Will asked once he got out of his car, lifting Paisley out of her car seat and walking over, still holding her.

"Uncle Will!"

Ryder and Tripp practically flew out of the car, jumping up and down to get at their uncle.

"Hey, little dudes!"

"Glad to have you home, man. Hi, pumpkin." Jay gave Paisley a kiss on the cheek after greeting his brother.

"Uncle Jay! Aunt Erin!"

The little girl leaned over to give her aunt and uncle kisses. She didn't get to see her uncles Nick and Jesse as often as she would have liked, but Jay and Erin were her favorites.

"Hi, sweetie. You look so pretty tonight!" Erin said, giving Paisley a kiss on the cheek. She was wearing a pink dress, her hair up in a ponytail with a bow in it, along with little white tights and black patent leather Mary Janes. They were so busy going back and forth with camp and lessons that Erin hadn't spent much time lately with her niece.

"Jay, it's been forever." Lola walked over, giving her brother-in-law air kisses. She was dressed in a floral summer dress and sandals, looking a bit more relaxed but still seemed sad.

"Hi, Aunt Lola!" The boys gave their favorite aunt big hugs, unknowingly cheering her up.

"Nice to see you too, Lola. Shall we?"

They all made their way up the steps to the front door.

"I hope Dad doesn't give me crap about the Kobalt 400." Jay said once he rang the bell.

"Hey," Erin rubbed his back. "don't be so hard on yourself, both of you."

"Ha, it's not like I did much better than you. This Jimmy Borelli kid is riding our coattails to the top, just like his brothers did when we were starting up." Will turned to his wife. "I can't believe you fixed him up with Chili. He's not a friend, Lola."

Velocita Motorsports owner Giuseppe Borelli and his sons were the biggest rivals of Halstead-Voight Racing, dating all the way back to when Kirkland and Hank were still competing. The two older boys, Steven and Danny, got their start racing the same time as Will, Jay, and Justin, finishing neck-in-neck with them every other time. Now the youngest son Jimmy made his racing debut in the past year and was winning left and right. With his lucky streak and the addition of former Formula 1 driver Connor Rhodes, Velocita Motorsports was going to give Halstead-Voight Racing and Team 51 a run for their money in this year's Sprint Cup Series.

Lola looked up at him, her eyes full of sudden sadness and confusion. "What happened to keep your friends close and your enemies closer? He's not as bad as you think, Will. Chili says he's sweet, that he's just trying to make his own mark other than his family name."

It wasn't even like she set out to do it, they were all at the same event and one thing led to another...

The door opened before a possible argument could ensue, Tawny Rae on the other side.

"Hello, everybody!" She had a big smile on her Botoxed face and filler injected lips, wearing a sheer teal colored halter dress that matched her eyes and made the red and blonde in her hair pop, but it wouldn't be complete without the plunging cleavage to show off her orb breast implants that looked ridiculous in her twenty seven years.

"Hu Hu!"

The kids all ran up and hugged her. Regardless of the fact that Will and Jay thought their new stepmother was a gold digging whore, Tawny Rae was very sweet to the kids, but why wouldn't she? She had everything at the snap of her perfectly manicured fingers.

"Are those the best grandkids in the world that I hear?"

Kirkland Halstead strolled into the room, confidence in his stride. At sixty years old, he was still in good shape but his hair had gone completely white, a thick mountain of snow, and his face was weathered from all the years of stress brought on by his intense dedication to the sport and spending every waking moment to ensure his sons had the same success. Will had inherited his brown eyes and chin while Jay had inherited his nose and mouth, the three of them looking alike if they were all standing together.

"Grandpa!"

"Ryder and Tripp, strapping young lads as always! And Paisley, how's my little princess?" Kirkland hugged the boys and picked Paisley up, giving her big cheek kisses which made her giggle.

"Hey, Dad." Jay waved to him.

Kirkland put Paisley down and walked over with his arms extended out. "Boys! Boys, boys, boys! How good to see you!" He brought his sons in for a bone crushing group hug, nearly knocking their heads together.

"Good to see you, Dad." Said Will, both he and Jay were apprehensive, knowing their father would critique them soon enough.

"And how could I forget my daughter-in-laws? Erin and Lola, such beauties." Kirkland gave them each a kiss on the cheek.

"Hello, Kirk."

"I feel so fortunate to be blessed with two such wonderful stepsons." Tawny Rae said, putting a hand on Kirkland's chest and resting her head on his shoulder.

There was awkward silence for a brief moment until Will started laughing. What started out as a chuckle turned maniacal, irritating Kirkland.

"What's so damn funny, Will?"

He stopped laughing and cracked a sarcastic smile, turning to Tawny Rae.

"Quite frankly, this whole marriage is a joke, you're only after our dad for his money."

Her mouth flew open. "No, I'm not! I love your father, I-"

"Tawny Rae, don't even try to defend it. You go from me to my dad? Class act there."

"Will, knock it off." Kirkland grumbled.

Lola put her hand on Will's shoulder. "Honey, he's right. Come on, it's your dad's birthday. Please don't fight with him. You don't want the kids to overhear and get upset."

He looked down, knowing she was right. Patting her hand, he nodded. "Alright, fine. I'll drop it. I need a drink."

Will grabbed Lola's hand and led her over to the bar. Jay and Erin looked at each other, both hoping this night wouldn't drag out.

 

"William, Jonathan, we need to talk about your last few races." Kirkland said once the dessert dishes were cleared and the kids were playing upstairs.

The brothers glanced at one another, dreading this conversation, but they had been prepared for it all day. They both gave their full attention to him.

"Go ahead, Dad. We're listening."

"I'm disappointed to say the least." Kirkland lit up another cigar, taking a long drag. "What's going on with you two? Jay, you're taking off too many races, you might not even qualify for the Sprint Cup at this rate. Will, you've only won three races so far."

"Yeah, but I won Daytona 500, that one is super important."

"Doesn't matter if you do lousy at all the rest. You two need to live up to your names. I'm not only talking about the Halstead name, I'm talking about your first names. Will, your name in Germanic means "resolute protector" and "strong willed warrior". Jay, your name is Sanskirt for "win" and "victory". You should both take from each other. Be strong willed warriors on the track, resolute protectors of your achievements, and never stop until you reach ultimate victory and win it all." Kirkland then turned to Erin and Lola. "I don't know what the two of you are doing all day, but you need to stop wasting your time shopping and start convincing your husbands to live up to their full potential."

"Dad, leave them out of this." Jay said.

Will nodded. "If you want to worry about anybody, worry about Justin. His heart isn't in it like mine and Jay's, he's got the lowest amount of points, that's dragging the team down."

"Justin is on my team, but he's not my problem. It's Hank's problem, and that's the deal we made: He deals with his kid and I'll deal with mine. Boys, you're not past your prime just yet. If you're lucky, you might be able to keep going for another twenty years, maybe longer. It would be one thing if it were Severide or Casey, those are worthy opponents, but Rhodes and Borelli?! Have you forgotten the thirty year rivalry that man has had with me and Hank since we were all competing?"

Jay shook his head. "Of course not, we just-"

"The two of you have been racing longer than Jimmy has been alive and you're sitting back and letting him win!"

"Dad," Will cleared his throat. "I don't think you should worry. Connor has more points than Jimmy right now. We're both doing really well point wise and have only missed a couple races, it's not like we'll end up in the wild card for the Chase Grid. Adam is doing great, Halstead-Voight has got this in the bag."

"What are you talking about, son? You've barely made the top ten and you finished in 18th place at Folds of Honor, Jay! Just getting by under the radar, much?! Where is your head lately?!" Kirkland slammed his fist down on the table, making the girls flinch, inwardly jumping out of their skin.

"Kirky, please, stop! Your heart." Tawny Rae grabbed onto his wrist to calm him down.

"You better get your shit together, both of you, and I'm not kidding! Apple is finally a NASCAR sponsor and they chose you to be that driver, Will, so you can't throw it away by doing poorly! Same goes for you with Verizon, Jay!"

"Dad, we're not teenagers anymore!" Jay shouted back at him. "We're adults now, we have wives and kids of our own that we want to spend time with. Will and I are at the top of the circuit, we've achieved more in twenty years than some people do in their whole lives. Take it easy on us, will you? We're trying our best."

Kirkland took a breath to relax himself, feeling his heart thumping wildly. The doctors told him to not get over stressed, but he couldn't help it.

"Your families aren't going anywhere, remember that. Why don't you just kill an old man for wanting his sons to be better than the best?"

These arguments had been present for quite some time, Will and Jay were all too familiar with them...

_SIXTEEN YEARS AGO_

_The blaring trill of a whistle rang through the crisp Chicago air, interrupting the night's peacefulness. "Come on, boys! You can do better than that!"_

_Will and Jay ran up to the finish line, panting heavily, bent over and resting their hands on their knees. After six straight hours of practice, their father was making them run twenty laps around the Chicago Motor Speedway. The racetrack was only 2.1 km in length, but at this point it might as well be in 200 km._

_Everybody else had gone home, most likely asleep in their beds, not running shirtless on a racetrack late at night. All one hundred and twenty lights were beaming down, their shadows blocking out the stars._

_"What have I told you boys about the five musts? Mental discipline, lightning-fast reflexes, good coordination, high endurance and physical strength! There's more to this sport than driving, you need to be in tip-top shape for every aspect!"_

_"Dad, it's past one in the morning. We have to be at school in less than seven hours!" Will said, wiping the sweat from his brow._

_Jay nodded in agreement. "Yeah, and I still have a biology paper to finish. Please, Dad? We've worked really hard today."_

_"What can you really learn in school that'll be of any value later on? It's not like you're going to be police detectives or doctors. Jay, you and your brother, this was planned for you before you were born, just like it will be for your sons, also."_

_"He has a point though, Dad. We have other obligations besides the track. Mom agrees with me on that, too."_

_Kirkland looked over at his eldest son. "Other obligations my red, white and blue ass! I'm disappointed in you for taping out so soon, you're supposed to be a role model for your younger brother. Jesus Christ, Will! You're going to be eighteen in less than a year, you're practically an adult! Stop being a pansy and grow a pair! Just for that I'm making you run twenty more laps and your brother only has to run ten."_

_The oldest Halstead son stood his ground, folding his arms across his chest. "No, I'm not going to."_

_"What did you just say to me?" Kirkland walked over._

_"I said I'm not-" Before Will could even reply, he was backhanded across the face, feeling his teeth clanking together. He put his hand on his now tingling cheek, which stung from the cold night air._

_"You ever think about pulling a move like that again and you'll be tasting dirt, boy! Who the hell do you think you are talking back to me?!" Their dad shouted, his voice echoing. "I've got seventy six wins under my belt, anybody else would have to sell their souls to get that far! You're being trained by the best in the league and you two spoiled brats take it for granted. Now give me ten and twenty! Go! GO! GO!"_

_Kirkland walked off, blowing his whistle repeatedly until his sons started running. Jay caught up to his older brother._

_"Hey, Will, are you alright?" He asked._

_Will nodded, his face throbbing from the slap. "Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry about me, buddy." Unfortunately, Kirkland was right: Will was a role model to Jay, and he didn't want to show weakness, even though he knew his younger brother wouldn't judge him._

_"I thought you said Mom talked to him."_

_"Who knows if she did? She's been so sick lately, and all this is making it worse. Don't tell her anything when she asks how practice went, ok? I don't want to worry her."_

_"Ok, I won't."_

_Before that obnoxious whistle was blown again, they picked up the pace, eager to finish the rest of the laps and go home._

_Their father loved them, but his intensity sometimes surpassed what he felt for his sons, always wanting them right at the top and sometimes pitting them against each other. Either way, both Will and Jay knew that when they got married and had their own families that they would never be like Kirkland Halstead._

 

After the tension dissipated, Jay and Will decided it was time to leave, but Lola had to discuss a pressing matter with her father-in-law.

"Kirkland?"

The oldest Halstead turned around from his spot staring out the living room window and motioned to her.

"Come on in. What can I do for you, Lola?"

"Um, well, I was just wondering how many races are absolutely necessary for Will to compete in this year? He's already been in all eight this season, Duck Commander will be the ninth."

"Yes, and your point is?" He could tell that she was a little nervous to speak to him, which he decided to use to his advantage.

"I don't want him to wear himself out, he's the hardest working driver I've ever met. Not only that, but I need him to be at home more, especially for Paisley's sake. These years are really important for her developmental growth and I don't want either one of them missing out on it. She adores her father so much and misses him when he's not home. I've also been thinking that I'd like to go back to school and get my Bachelor's degree, I had just completed my associates' when I got pregnant with Paisley."

**_So young and so beautiful, this could definitely work in my favor._ **

"I understand, doll face."

Lola smiled in relief. "You do?"

"Of course. How about next time Will's away I'll treat you to dinner? We can go to the best restaurant in town. You deserve it. Then we can talk about Paisley. " Kirkland walked closer, not trying to hide the fact that he was eyeing her body. "I must say, out of my son's three wives, you're by far the prettiest."

"Oh, thank you, sir." Lola replied politely, looking away as she started to feel uncomfortable.

"Maybe I need to teach you some things so you can satisfy him. Gotta do whatever we can to give Will that son." He ran his hand up her arm before lifting her chin, a salacious twinkle in his crinkly eyes. "Besides, whatever he's done to you, he's learned from me. My boys are legends, but you'd be getting your chance with the legend founder."

Lola was frozen in her stance, knowing she should move but couldn't. She was in too much shock, how could this be happening to her? A part of her also felt fearful. What if Will found out? Would he blame her?

"Lola, you ready to go?" Erin asked, walking into the room. Once he saw her, Kirkland immediately took a step back, but Erin had already picked up on the vibe.

"Yes, I am." Lola didn't even acknowledge her father-in-law as she made her way over to Erin.

"Good bye, Lola, and remember what I said."

She didn't even turn back to look at him, unwilling to allow the leecherous old man the satisfaction of further seeing her fear.

"Hey," Erin caught up and took her hand after bidding Kirkland good night. "Lola, are you ok?"

 ** _NO!_** She screamed inside her head. **_I'm not ok and I don't know when I will be. My husband thinks I'm only a breeding machine and is most likely cheating, and his father just made a pass at me! Help!_**

Instead she shook her head. "Yes, Erin. I'm alright, just a little tired is all. Thank you for asking."

"Of course." She linked her arm through Lola's. "You know you can always call me whenever you want, right?"

"Mmhmm." Lola nodded.

"I'm serious, day or night. I see you as a younger sister, Lola, so I want to help out if I can. That and I'm not at the clinic as much, Teddy and Nadia are doing such a fantastic job running the place, I pretty much have all the time in the world now."

Erin's smile made Lola happy that somebody cared but still distressed about her current predicament. She knew she could trust her sister-in-law though.

"Actually, Erin, I-"

"Hey babe, you ready to go?"

Will walked up, grabbing his wife's hand and dragging her off before she could even answer.

"Call me, ok? Let's go to lunch this week."

"Ok, I will. I promise."

"Damn it!" Erin mumbled under her breath and chewed her lip, wanting to shout in frustration. Lola had been on the verge of telling her something, why had the timing been so damn inconvenient?

 

"Did you notice it tonight?" Erin asked Jay on the way home, the boys asleep in the back seat.

Jay nodded solemnly. "Yes, unfortunately, I did. What do you think it could be? I also couldn't help but notice he was on his phone quite a lot."

"I don't know, Jay. What the hell happened? They seem so distant, but it's almost like a contradiction because he is also very possessive, he rarely lets her out of his sight. I mean, it can't all be because of Paisley, that's ridiculous. Lola's a sweet girl and I know she loves Will more than anything, but I've known him a lot longer than her and he goes through women quickly. He shouldn't be so quick to divorce her, she's the mother of his child."

"What does that have to do with it? People with kids divorce all the time, sometimes even when they're pregnant. I'm with you, though. If he got married a fourth time he'd start to become a laughing stock."

"You're right, he would. I hope it works, I want to believe in them."

Erin didn't have the heart to tell Jay what she saw. No matter how strict and demanding Kirkland was, Will and Jay loved their father, he made them the athletes they were today. What worried her was if he were to pull a move like that again...

 

"Is she finally asleep?" Lola looked up from brushing her teeth to see Will walking into her bathroom in his boxer briefs.

"Yes, she is. It took five different stories, but she's out for the night. I don't know how you do it."

**_Of course you don't, you're winning trophies, selling products and most likely having your way with fame hungry whores._ **

Her thoughts made her want to lash out, to throw a full blown fit, but she couldn't. Her problems weren't anything anybody cared to hear about, so she needed to keep it to herself. What she could no longer keep to herself was what had transpired earlier in the evening with Kirkland.

"Neither do I, but I do and I think I do a pretty good job at that. Will, there's something I have to tell you." She opened her mouth to speak, shakiness so evident in her presence, but Will stepped forward.

"Actually, do you mind if I go first? Please? It's important."

"Oh, ok. No problem." She nodded, wondering what the hell it could be, but figured it must have been conspicuous enough to want to go first.

He looked down on his pretty young wife, still having such an innocence to her that he knew he could trust. "Tonight really got me thinking about the future. I'm sorry you had to witness all that."

Lola shook her head. "You don't have to apologize, I understand."

While Erin had been more accustomed to Kirkland's outbursts after sixteen years, the last six were an overwhelming crash course for Lola.

"He's such a perfectionist that it blinds him from how things should be and what really counts. It was him acting like this that made my mother sick and ultimately what killed her, too. Dad could never separate racing from family, and Jay's right. It's not the most important thing now, we have other obligations and priorities."

Will held a lot of resentment over his father, for pushing him and Jay too hard, for not being more compassionate or proud like Hank was with Justin. He could see it in Lola's eyes that he let her down.

"I'm broken, Lola. I know that I'm not how I should be, that now I'm the one putting the sport before the family." His eyes shone with tears, thinking of how much his mother tried to get Kirkland to be more lenient with him and Jay, but he only played by his own rules. Baring his soul in a way he never had, it was too much for his system. Will dropped to his knees, crying, resting his head on Lola's stomach and his arms wrapped around her waist.

"I don't say anything enough, but you know how I feel. Please, don't let me become like him, Lola. Don't let me become like my father."

"It's ok, baby. I'm here." Lola stroked his hair with one hand and rubbed circles on his back with the other in an attempt to soothe him. While Will's declaration was sincere, she didn't have the heart to tell him the one thing that mattered.

**_You already have become your father._ **

**_Do you think Will is being sincere? What is he really up to? Please review! :)_ **


	4. As It Seems...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A week has passed, with Will making a serious effort in mending his relationships with Lola and Paisley, providing much needed love and happiness; Will and the rest of the Chicago NASCAR gang strategize for the next race, with not even the arrival of frenemies Connor Rhodes and the Borelli brothers throwing them off; A surprise guest shakes Lola to the core.

**Hi, everybody! Who else is beyond excited for the FOUR WAY CROSSOVER with _Chicago_ and _SVU_?! Or the Star Studded Salute for Dick Wolf at PaleyFest in two months!**

**There's been a lot going on with me lately, family issues in particular, so thank you all for your patience.**

**Thank you so much again to everybody that has followed/favorited the story and reviewed! My heart swells with love from each comment! Aisha Ren, danie14, EngieFangirl, HermoineandMarcus, TheIrishShipperholic, justbanana74, Lilli89, MrsHalsteadxx, NALEY23alwaysforever, Natascha2Tata, texasbelle91, UndercoverWeapon and especially my homegirl Ms Isabella!**

**I've decided that I'm going to try my hardest to post new chapters of this story every Wednesday after _Med_ and _Fire_ air, along with _Checkered Heart_ updates every Thursday after _P.D._ airs, except next week I'll be updating these two and my two _Walking Dead_ stories on the 31st because it's my birthday! :) Hint Hint for reviews! I made some changes from the last chapter, like figuring out the correct number of drivers on a team, Jimmy's brother is actually named Danny. Since one of Hermann's kids is listed on Wikipedia as having no name, I just named him Brady since that was the name of David Eigenberg's son on _Sex and the City._ Will's sincerity was questioned last time around, be sure to vote in the poll on my profile! Idk why but I get the vibe that Justin is a player, that and Olive doesn't seem his type, I made him more like the actor's character on the former USA show _Sirens_ , I also had some fun with making Kelly a single dad. Yes, AU, but that's what FanFiction is for! :) Oh and if you want to see what Paisley looks like her name is Anny Bakhireva, she's a little Russian Instagram celebrity and cute as a button!**

**_DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NOR HAVE ANY AFFILIATIONS WITH YOU MAKE ME FEEL LIKE A NATURAL WOMAN ALL PROPERTIES OWNED BY ARETHA FRANKLIN, RESPECTIVELY. I ONLY OWN MY OWN ORIGINAL IDEAS AND CHARACTERS._ **

**_Chapter Four: So It Seems..._ **

**_Nine Days Later_ **

**_"Before the day I met you, life was so unkind_ **

**_But you're the key to my peace of mind_ **

**_'Cause you make me feel_ **

**_You make me feel_ **

**_You make me feel like a natural woman"_ **

Lola smiled, half singing/half humming "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" by Aretha Franklin to herself as she finished getting ready. Tonight was Kirkland's banquet, which had been pushed back a week when NASCAR decided to honor him with the Bill France Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award, and that way more of the drivers were able to attend.

"Lolly, can you do this bowtie for me? I swear I hate these damn-"

Will stopped in his tracks when he saw Lola in front of the full length mirror in her closet door.

"Hmm, what's going on?" She turned around, fastening an earring. Lola was wearing a satin one shouldered black and white gown, accompanied with black onyx and white diamond jewelry, a black satin diamond choker around her neck and her long hair blown out, her makeup flawless. "Everything ok?"

He started stammering, in complete awe of how beautiful his wife looked. "I'm speechless. Wow, Lola, you look stunning. That dress…"

"Oh, it's just a little something I dug up. You can thank Oscar de la Renta." She sauntered forward, her curves clinging to the fabric were enticing him to rip the dress completely off.

"I've never been prouder that you're Mrs. Will Halstead." He looked down, watching her fix his bowtie.

"Why thank you, Mr. Halstead, and might I add that you're looking very dapper this evening. Take a look for yourself. The tuxedo works just as well as the race suit."

Lola stepped to the side so Will could check himself out, but he brought her back in, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder.

"I am, and I'm thinking that we make a pretty good looking couple. I mean, the proof is already in Paisley, I can only imagine what the rest of our children will look like."

"I agree with you on all that." Lola's smile could have lit up the world, resting her hands on top of her husband's. "Will, I love having you home. This past week has been so fantastic." She turned around in his embrace, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Ever since the night of Kirkland's dinner, Will had done a complete turnaround. He cleared his schedule until the Duck Commander race, picked Paisley up every day from preschool, he even took her and Lola to Disney World for two days and an amazing date night when they returned to Chicago. Once Paisley had gone to sleep, Will and Lola would stay up late into the night, getting to know each other again. Watching TV, cuddling, making love. The sex had been incredibly sensual, similar to how things were when they were first married. Even if it was just talking that occurred, it was much needed after all the distance that had been created between them. Nothing made her happier than going to sleep each night and waking up each morning in his arms.

"I know, beautiful, it has. Life on the track and the road gets so crazy, I just hope that it won't always be like this. It's not easy splitting things up, but I think this has been a really great start in making up for lost time."

She nodded, the smile still on her face, combing through the bottom of his hair. "Oh, it has, and I'm glad you're making such an effort."

"I want to make this work, Lola. Third time is a charm."

"So they say." Lola kissed him tenderly, pulling away with a flirtatious smile. "By the way, if you like the dress on me, then you're really going to like what's underneath it."

Will bit his lip. "Mmm, I am, am I?" He growled, pulling her in for an ardent kiss, which was immediately reciprocated. His hands slid all over the satin gown. "Fuck the banquet, let's stay in and you can show me now."

She gasped as he bit behind her ear, both of them knowing she was slowly becoming putty in his hands. "In your dreams! I spent a lot of time putting this together, it would be tasteless of us to not show up. It's only a few hours, keep it in your pants, Halstead." Lola grabbed her black and white Judith Leiber clutch in one hand and Will's hand in the other, walking him out of the closet. "Come on, Paize is waiting for us."

"Oh, I'll show you a few hours, lusciousness." Will gave her a love tap on the butt, making Lola squeal.

"Will! You are such a scoundrel."

 

Paisley looked up from the suede swivel chair in the living room with her Pomsky Cinderella that they had been in for the past half hour after Nanny Louise got her ready. Her parents were walking down the stairs, all smiles and hand-in-hand, whispering to each other. The sight thrilled her, it had been so long since she had actually seen them looking so happy and in love, it reminded her of a fairytale.

For a while, it had been just her and Mommy, Daddy was away playing cars. Paisley worried that this could be permanent, her best friend Bella's parents got a divorce when her daddy had a playdate with her older sister's friend, but seeing her own parents now she knew it wasn't possible.

"Mommy, Daddy, I'm ready." Paisley walked over to the bottom of the staircase, looking ever so precious in her little white flower girl dress and shoes, white satin gloves and purse, a white ribbon in her shiny hair.

"Wow! Mommy, you look like a princess! I wanna look just like you when I grow up."

Lola smiled when she saw her daughter. "Awww, but not like you, cutie pie. You look so lovely."

"You already do, you're just as beautiful as Mommy." Will picked her up.

"Daddy! I can walk myself, I'll be four soon!" She complained, but secretly loved it.

"I know, but you're growing up so fast, who knows how much longer I'll be able to do this?"

"Planning ahead already, Will?" Lola squeezed his free hand.

"I know, if only she could be little forever." He happily sighed, looking back and forth between his wife and daughter. "My two girls, what more could I ask for?"

It was moments like this that he took for granted, he was a real asshole like that, but he wasn't going to anymore. Lola and Paisley meant the world to him, which is why he went above and beyond doing the best he could on the track to make all their dreams come true, but sporadically the allure of a good time pulled him away.

"I can think of one thing." Lola looked at her daughter. "How would you feel about a little brother or sister, Paisley?"

The little girl burst into a huge smile. "Oh, really? Yay! It's what I've always wanted! When are they coming? May I have one of each? I have to get my room ready!"

"Not for a while, hun, but Mommy and Daddy are working on it." Lola winked at her husband, knowing the possibility that they had conceived a child over the past week was very strong.

**_The Sinclair Ballroom, Waldorf-Astoria, 6:30 pm_ **

Paisley walked ahead of her parents once they arrived at the Waldorf-Astoria, where the banquet for her grandfather was being held tonight, and shrieked for joy when she saw her friends.

"Carmelle! Brady! Twyla! Cooper!"

"Don't run, honey." Lola called after her, but she was too excited, almost tripping over her dress.

Carmelle Casey, Benson Choi, Twyla Cruz, Sullivan McHolland, Lee Henry, Luke, Brady, Annabelle and Kenny James Hermann, Diego and Eva Dawson, Terence Boden, Daniel Voight and Cooper Severide were the kids of Chicago NASCAR, spurning from both Halstead-Voight Racing and Team 51.

They were all relatively close in age, between three and eight. Brady, Terence and Daniel being the youngest at 12-24 months, Sullivan being the oldest at seventeen, and Diego, Luke and Cooper the second oldest at twelve. Will and Lola watched Paisley run up and jump in Cooper's arms, her cousins already amongst them. All the kids looked up to the older boys as big brothers, Cooper especially.

"I'm glad that everybody decided to bring their kids, that way she won't be alone."

Will nodded as they walked into the Sinclair Ballroom. "You're right, Kelly even brought his dad, I haven't seen him in ages." Benny Severide was another racing legend and good friend of Kirkland and Hank. Will and Jay had grown up with Kelly, even jokingly referring to him as the third Halstead. Kelly and his dad had something of a strained relationship, but they tried to make it work for the sake of Cooper, Kelly's illegitimate son whom he was raising as a single dad. "It'll be a very family oriented event." He looked around the room. "Terrific job with the setup, Lola. Everything came together wonderfully."

The walls were covered in grey silk, hand blown glass and crystal chandeliers hanging from the coffered ceiling, tall vases filled with bright pink and red carnations and roses. The children were all playing on the outdoor terrace as the sun set, everybody in black and white formal attire of gowns and tuxedos.

"Thank you. It looks like everybody showed up, I didn't see the final guest list, Lydia said she had taken care of it. Do you have your speech memorized?"

"Yes, I do."

When NASCAR had originally called about the ceremony, they had wanted both sons to present their father. Jay had horrible stage fright when it came to addressing public audiences, it was easier in an interview or an introduction on the track because there were thousands of faceless fans, not a few hundred in a closed vicinity, so Will decided to introduce their dad.

"You're going to be outstanding, I know it."

"Big Red II!"

They looked over to see Justin Voight and Joe Cruz beckoning to him by one of the bars. Ethan Choi, Adam, and the rest of Team 51 and Gaffney Group were with them. Kirkland's nickname when he was racing and still to this day was "Big Red", because he was red hot on the track. Naturally, being the first born son, Will inherited the appellation, changing it to "Big Red II", it also helped that his hair was red.

Jay had gone by "Blue Jay", which his mother called him when he was little because of his bright blue eyes. When _The Hunger Games_ franchise exploded in popularity, Lionsgate struck a deal with him to sponsor the series by having the logo painted on the side of his car, with NASCAR now dubbing him "The Mockingjay". All the drivers had nicknames, it was practically necessary if a following and fan base were to be gained.

"Hey." Will waved to them before turning back to his wife. "I'm sorry, what were you saying, hun?"

"I said that you'll be outstanding. Go on, be with your friends, I'll see you in a bit."

"Are you sure?"

Lola nodded. "Yes, I'm sure. I see Erin and Jay and the rest of the WAGs, I haven't returned any calls all week, we've been so busy."

"Alright, I'll see you in a bit."

Still holding her hand, he pulled her in for a kiss, their intertwined hands behind her back, her free hand on his neck. When they pulled away, foreheads pressed together, both of them had adoring smiles on their faces.

"I love you, baby doll. To the moon and back."

"I love you to the stars and beyond."

Lola kept smiling as she watched him walk away. She couldn't have been happier at that exact moment. Yes, there were still some things bothering her, but she truly had it all: A beautiful little girl, a spacious mansion, and a husband that cared about his marriage. Things were going so well that she was even considering the possibility of no longer taking her pills...

 

"Halstead! Man, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were struck with Cupid's arrow." Justin checked out Lola from across the room. "Damn, son, your wife is so fine! How come I couldn't get her?"

Will cracked a smile as he ordered a Johnnie Walker and a Budweiser. "Because I saw her first? Not to mention she shot you down."

"Seriously, I'd like to bend her over into Pound City and make her pop it, much better than my current girl on the side."

"Oh, believe me, I've been tapping that ass almost every day since I got back from Fontana." Will wriggled his eyebrows, a cocky smirk on his face, being slapped on the back and cheered by his buddies.

"Halstead, you dog, you! I'll drink to that." Severide raised his bottle, with the other guys following suit and taking a swig.

"It's not all about the sex, guys. I'm gonna give you a piece of advice my dad gave me and my brother: you gotta make love if you wanna fuck, which is just as nice if not nicer. Even if she wasn't ridiculously hot, we're a pretty great fit. Lola's with me and I plan to keep it that way, so steer your sights the other way, Voight."

Will was quite thankful for the past week he had spent with Lola, having more quality time with each other. She was so sweet and loving, he'd be a fool to let her go. Women were constantly throwing themselves at his feet, he could have any one tomorrow if he wanted to, but he didn't want to go through the hell of divorce. It would destroy both of his girls.

"So that phase you were going through is over?" Antonio asked.

"Yeah, if you could call it that."

"I call it "You blew over $10 million on your little habit". Seriously, you should consider telling her. You never know if somebody else will." Casey said, sipping his drink as they all looked over at Lola talking to Matt's very pregnant wife Gabriella "Gabby" Dawson, who was also Antonio's younger sister.

"I'll tell her... When I damn well feel like it and not a moment until then."

Halstead-Voight and 51 had been through a lot together over the years. Will and Jay had known some of the drivers for over two decades, they regarded each other as family, and that meant keeping secrets. There must have been somebody up above on Will's side, because so far everything was under wraps.

"I'm taking it easy until Texas, gotta mend broken fences and spend some time with my girls. Rest assured, I'll be kicking all your asses when my wheels hit the track. The Sprint Cup is mine this year." Will laughed with cockiness, pointing back and forth at them while drinking his beer.

"Dream on, pal. If anybody's winning, it's me. Got the eye of the tiger and the stinging butterfly floating bee in me." Cruz pointed at himself with pride.

"Ha, you've got two different things mixed up there, bud." Ethan patted Cruz on the back. "It's about time Gaffney Group won. Don't underestimate Kim, I've been eating dust thanks to her."

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Little Red Riding Hood."

Will looked over his shoulder to see the Borelli brothers and Connor Rhodes. He already knew they had been invited, since the guest list had been made up of more than half the NASCAR league, but a part of him was hoping that they wouldn't show up..

"Ahh, if it isn't the Sharks? Glad to see you here."

Danny shrugged. "Why wouldn't we? Yes, our dads are rivals, but we don't respect your's any less because of that."

"That's a good way of looking at it, Jay and I feel the same towards your dad. Connor." Will nodded his head at him, extending his hand forward.

"Will, how's it going?" They shook hands politely. "I saw Lola earlier, she's radiant."

"Thanks, she certainly is my perfect ten trophy wife. Soon enough, I'll be getting my boy, I know it."

"Well, you're a lucky man. She's a beautiful girl."

"Don't I know it? How's your sister doing?"

"Pretty good, keeping the store busy." Connor and his sister Claire were the children of Cornelious Rhodes, owner of Rhodes department store, which was the Chicago version of Neiman Marcus.

"How are you feeling point wise? Steven, Danny, last I checked you guys barely made the top thirty." Adam pointed out.

Jimmy cut in. "With all fairness to my brothers, I don't think anybody did well at Kobalt 400, except Connor."

"Yep, you and I have been winning almost every race this season with the exception of Sprint Unlimited, Daytona and Folds of Honor." Connor nodded his head at Will, narrowing his deep blue eyes. "Better watch your back, Halstead, because I'll be racing up right behind it and leave you spinning. I can already taste that Sprint Cup trophy."

All Will did was roll his mud brown eyes and laugh. "Over my dead body, Rhodes. As my dad taught me, may the better man win, and that will be me."

Ever since Connor made the transfer to Velocita Motorsports, he and Will had been something of frenemies, usually finishing in the top five if not the top three. It wasn't until Connor admitted in a one-on-one interview that he thought Will was a "spoiled narcissistic Daddy's boy" that the rivalry really began. Will had made it his mission to beat Connor every chance he got, and so far he was succeeding, rarely if ever placing below him. Even though things were clearer now with his family, he still wanted to be the best. He would only admit it to himself, but Connor was definitely up there.

 

"Erin! Jay! Hi!"

Lola walked up with a huge smile on her face, happy to see her favorite set of in-laws. Jay was looking very handsome in what was most likely a Valentino tux, Erin in a strapless black and silver gown which outlined the baby bump roundness, her hair straightened and her makeup subtle. Erin was pretty simple and down to earth while Lola exuded regality and lavishness in almost everything she did.

"Lola!" Erin hugged her tightly. "How are you? I feel like we haven't talked in so long."

"Will said you guys went to Florida?" Jay asked, to which Lola nodded.

"Mmhmm, we sure did. I swear, we must have come home with about fifty stuffed animals and dolls. You know that Will can never find it in himself to say "no" to Paisley. At this point we could open up a chain of toy stores with everything she has."

"Champagne?" A waiter walked up to them with a tray of freshly poured bubbly in sparkling crystal flutes.

"Absolutely!" Lola took a flute as Jay shook his head at the waiter that he and Erin were good. "Mmm, Dom Perignon! Anyways, we had the best time at Disney World, this whole week has been better than a dream."

"I'm glad to hear that." Erin said. "I was really worried about you, both of us were. The past few times we've gotten together you seemed so sad."

While Lola seemed genuinely happy now, a part of Erin was concerned that it could possibly be short lived.

"Awww, that's so sweet! That's what I love about you guys, you're both such caring and loving people. Honestly, neither one of you have anything to worry about. Your brother just finally pulled his head out of his ass and realized how important family is. Maybe it was that little outburst from your father that jolted his system, I'm not sure. What I do know is that I'm happier than I've been in a long time."

Out of the corner of his eye, Jay had noticed a familiar figure walking into the room, knowing that things would slowly go to hell. He wanted to alert Erin, but there was no way to do it subtly without Lola noticing.

"Erin." He whispered in her ear. "When you get a chance, check out the door."

As she was about to look, Chili pranced up, her curly hair wild and her little black dress a tad too short, putting her hands on Lola's shoulders from behind.

"Oh, my god! Lola, your arch nemesis is here."

Lola covered her mouth with her hand to conceal laughter and champagne spilling. "Chili, I think you've had one drink too many because I have no idea..."

Except when she saw whom Chili was referring to, she couldn't even finish her sentence. Every single fiber in Lola's body was completely frozen. This had to have been a nightmare, what other reason was there for this to be happening? There she was, wearing a black velvet cap sleeved floor length gown and a ridiculous black tulle head piece. This was a banquet honoring a sports legend, not his funeral in France.

"Cue "The Rains of Castamere" much? Don't worry, chica. That ho is nothing to get jealous over." Chili kissed Lola on the cheek before walking back over to Jimmy.

"Lola, are you ok?" Jay asked, but she couldn't hear him.

She saw Will from across the ballroom, Adam elbowing him until he looked over and saw her. One caught the other's eye, both smiling as Will made his way to over.

Lola's shock dissipated into anger when they hugged and exchanged a kiss on the cheek, why was she here? She hadn't been invited, how had she even gotten in? Lola was so distracted and unnerved that she didn't even notice her grip tightening on her champagne glass, so much that it actually shattered to pieces.

Erin's eyes widened as she witnessed the event. "Lola, honey-"

Lola ignored them and sauntered off, not feeling Erin trying to reach out to her.

"Lola, wait!"

She groaned, turning to her husband.

"What are we going to do? This might be the worst possible thing to happen."

"I don't know, but we should probably stay out of it."

**_OMG! WHO COULD IT POSSIBLY BE?! STAY TUNED FOR CHAPTER FIVE, ... AS IT APPEARS, COMING NEXT WEEK!_ **


	5. ...As It Appears

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The arrival of Will's second ex-wife Natalie sends Lola into a tailspin that turns into a full blown argument once she and Will are in the privacy of their home; Natalie has a proposition for Will; Lola makes a new friend.

**Hi, everybody! How has the past week been?**

**Thank you so much to all those that reviewed and followed, especially delilah montague, Fallingforfiction, FirePDMed, HeadWalkerz, HermoineandMarcus, Lilli89, Mrs. R0B0T, NALEY23alwaysforever, Natascha2Tata, and especially my homegirl Ms Isabella, whose OC Cassie is crossing over into this store! Be sure to check out the other stories, including _Walking on a Thin Line_ as well as fallingforfiction's Will/OC story _A Love Like This_!**

**I need to get on posting the Pinterest board, Lola's engagement ring is stunning! Now, it may seem like Will is OOC in the most recent chapters of both my stories, but it adds to the story. Also, I know some of you may not be happy with my selection for the antagonist, but please keep the flames to yourselves!**

**_DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NOR HAVE ANY AFFILIATIONS WITH MY CHERIE AMOUR. ALL PROPERTIES OWNED BY STEVIE WONDER, RESPECTIVELY. I ONLY OWN MY OWN ORIGINAL IDEAS AND CHARACTERS._ **

**_Chapter Five: ...As It Appears_ **

Lola watched them talking and laughing like no time had passed since they last saw each other. What was there to be so chummy about? From what she had heard and what Will had told her, this girl was just that, a bitch, and nothing more.

"Will."

Her husband looked over, smiling warmly. "Hi, sweetheart. I was just about to come get you." He grabbed her hand, bringing her to his side, completely unaware of her discomfort. "I don't think you two have ever met before, at least not formally. Natalie, this is my wife, Lola. Lola, this is-"

"I know who she is." Lola said sharply. "That's Lola _Halstead_."

**_What I don't know is what she's doing here._ **

Having seen her in pictures before, in person Lola didn't think that Natalie was as attractive, kind of pretty but not beautiful. She had too big of front teeth, which her thin pouty lips barely covered. Up close, the black velvet cap sleeved gown and tulle headpiece looked pretty ridiculous.

The former Mrs. Halstead smiled at the current Mrs. Halstead, flaunting her horse teeth. "Hi. Will's right. You're absolutely gorgeous, Lola. He's been talking up a storm about you and Penelope. She's such an adorable little girl."

"Paisley." She corrected her. "Our daughter is named _Paisley_ , not Penelope." Lola didn't like this at all, seeing the sneakiness that Natalie's eyes held. Something wasn't right.

Will gave them a strange look as he noticed his hand becoming wet. "Ah, Lola! My god, you're bleeding!"

He released her hand, all three of them looking down to see four vertical lines of fresh blood on her palm.

"What happened?"

Lola remained expressionless, slowly remembering about being so angry over Natalie's presence that she broke the champagne flute.

"Oh, no. Here," Natalie grabbed her non-bleeding hand. "I'm a doctor, I can help."

"Lola, why is your hand bleeding?" Will questioned but remained to be ignored.

"No." Lola replied coldly, yanking her hand away. "I'm fine, I-"

"Excuse me." A young woman in a white stretch-crepe gown with a golden chain neckline walked up and grabbed Lola's hand. "I can take care of that. Come on, let's get you cleaned up."

"Babe, wait-" Will called out once they started walking away, but they had already left.

"Well, she seems... sweet."

He looked back to see Natalie smirking, somehow she found this terribly amusing.

"Yes, she is... She's been under a lot of stress, putting this all together."

"Ahh, I know how she feels. Being the wife of a Halstead can be quite taxing at times."

She took the Johnnie Walker out of his hand, clinking the ice cubes around before bringing it to her lips and drinking.

"Hey, it comes with it's perks, Nat."

Will was feeling indifferent right now. A part of him was glad to see his second ex-wife, it had been so long, but why was she here?

"Are you happy with Lola, Will? Look at her, she's a baby, a little girl. How old is she, sixteen?"

"She's twenty four. Do I sense some jealousy in the air?" He tried not to smirk.

"No, just pointing out the facts. Maybe I shouldn't have left you after all." Natalie rested her hand on her elbow, looking her first ex-husband up and down. Quite frankly, he never looked better.

"If I recall correctly, _I_ was the one that left you."

"For Tawny Rae. Now, how is Mommy Dearest?"

They started laughing, making things feel like they used to. Before they dated, they had been pretty good friends, but it was marriage that ruined them.

"Why wouldn't I be happy? I have everything I've ever wanted, but what I want to know is what you're doing here."

Natalie heavily sighed, flipping her hair back. "I'm here because there's something else you've always wanted and never got."

 

"You're really brave to take such a risk tending to me." Lola said as the girl cleaned her hand off in the powder room with a first aid kit the concierge brought up. Luckily, nobody was there.

"How so?" The girl asked. She was very pretty, dark hair in an up-do with tendrils and blue eyes.

"You could have ruined your dress! It's so exotic, very Cleopatra-esque. You have great taste, it would be a shame if blood got on it."

She smiled at Lola. "Ha, I'm a nurse, so it wouldn't be the first thing to get stained with blood. All you need is some Neutrogena shampoo and it comes right out."

"Well, that's a great tip, I'll be sure to remember that, and it explains why you're so good at cleaning my hand up. I'm Lola, by the way. Lola Halstead."

The girl nodded. "I know, I saw you with Will and your daughter when he won Coca-Cola 600 last year. I'm Cassandra Robertson, but everybody calls me Cassie, I'm here with Connor."

Lola blinked in confusion. "Connor Rhodes? What happened to him and Sam?"

Samantha Zanetti was a hotshot sportscaster for ESPN, having covered the Sprint Cup Series and the NBA Championship since 2010. A pretty blonde with an icy stare, her intimidation had all the top athletes buckling, but not Connor. In fact, they started dating and became a couple after their one-on-one interview where he dissed Will. Footage had been leaked in August of Sam being particularly nasty to hotel staff in Alabama and teasing overweight women behind their backs. She had been terminated by ESPN and had yet to be replaced, but last Lola had heard was that she was still with Connor.

"They broke up in September, she went to Riyadh to do charity work and find herself. We met shortly afterwards when he had an allergic reaction to antibiotics and really hit it off, so we've been together about six months."

"That's nice, he's a very handsome man and a great driver. I'm sure you've had to deal with your fair share of crazy fans, I know I have."

"More or less. Actually," Cassie looked around the powder room before holding her hand out, showing off a oval shaped sapphire and diamond encrusted engagement ring with a platinum wedding band. "We got married in Monaco last month, we just got back after honeymooning in Spain. It's on the DL but we plan on making an announcement soon."

Lola smiled. "Wow, congratulations! That's so wonderful. I wish you all the happiness in the world."

"Thank you. Do you have any advice on what it's like to be married to a race car driver? You're the only other person I've met besides the girls dating the rest of the team members."

"I don't really know the other girls except Chili. We go way back, we were both cheerleaders for the Bulls. She's a sweet girl. As far as advice, well... just be prepared because life won't always be a fairytale, things aren't always as they seem and it gets lonely."

Lola looked down on her engagement ring and wedding band, the former being a spectacular six carat ballerina ring and the latter being white gold with pink and white diamonds. The ballerina ring had been handed down to all the wives of the first born Halstead son for almost a century, with Lola receiving the ring after her mother-in-law passed away. Most likely, if she were able to give Will a son, he would inherit the ring, but Lola wanted Paisley to have it, it was her birth right. Even though she had broken the cycle of first born sons, Paisley was still the first born child. That ring had been Lola's companion through tear filled lonely nights when her husband was out building his empire and most likely his erection. Why was she so afraid to find out the truth?

"Was that his ex?"

She looked up from her ring to see the sad expression in Cassie's eyes, knowing it was pity. "Yes. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound so-"

Cassie shook her head, finishing the hand cleaning. "No, it's fine. I understand. How long were they together for?"

"Almost five years, she's Will's second ex-wife. I'm the third and apparently the dumbest. Zoe was a pharmaceutical technician, Natalie is now a pediatrician, and what am I? A basketball cheerleader and college dropout who has nothing to show for anything but an adorable yet abandoned daughter and a six carat diamond ring."

"Lola," Cassie put her hand on Lola's arm. "I've only known you for a few minutes, but you seem like a very sweet and genuine person, you shouldn't be so hard on yourself. Also, you're his wife now, not her. You hold the keys to the kingdom and need to stand up for yourself."

Lola heavily sighed and nodded. "You're right, and that's exactly the plan. Thanks for everything, I think I know what needs to be done."

"Good luck." Cassie gave her a hug before leaving. "I know it'll get better, I can tell you love your husband. See you at the races."

Once Cassie left the bathroom, Lola freshened her makeup and composed herself, exiting the powder room. When she walked out, she saw that Will and Natalie were still talking, but that Kirkland, Tawny Rae, and Kelly were with them. Her father-in-law seemed smitten, even Tawny Rae was cucumber cool. This bitch had overstayed her welcome and needed to leave.

Kelly nodded his head at Lola when she walked up. "Hey, Lola. You're just in time, we were discussing all of Will's wives."

"Oh?" She folded her arms across her chest.

"Yep." Kirkland pointed back and forth between her and Natalie. "We decided you're the prettiest, Natalie is the smartest, and Zoe is-"

Kelly cut in. "The most forgettable?"

"Yes! That was it!"

The three men burst into obscene laughter, making the three ladies feel uncomfortable. While Lola and Kelly were somewhat close, he had a tendency to let his inner playboy shine through at times. Will practically had to lean onto him he was laughing so hard, but straightened up when he saw Lola's discomfort.

"How's your hand, love? Are you ok?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Thanks for asking." She turned to her arch-nemesis. "I'm sorry, Natalie, but I'm going to have to ask you to leave. This is a private, invite-only event. I'd make an exception but every table is filled."

Kelly shifted uncomfortably, shaking his beer bottle. "Whoo, I could sure use a refill right now. Anybody else, no? Ok." He zipped away, knowing things were about to become troublesome.

Kirkland frowned unhappily. "Oh, Lola, don't you think that's a bit much? I'm the guest of honor, she's more than welcome to stay and I'm sure some room could be made."

"I have no problem sitting on Kirky's lap." Tawny Rae offered, turning to Natalie. "After all, you used to be family."

Lola couldn't believe how her in-laws were turning on her, trying to go above and beyond to accommodate this skank.

"I already talked to Lydia, all the extra chairs have been filled."

Natalie didn't even flinch. "That's fine, I was about to leave anyway." She looked over at her former husband. "Will, think about what I said. I think we can all benefit from it. Good bye, everybody."

With a raised eyebrow and turn of her heel, she was off.

"Care to explain that to me?" Lola asked her husband once they were alone, who only shrugged and sipped his drink.

"What's there to explain? She came to say congratulations to my father, that's all. No need to worry that pretty little head of yours. We don't want to start Botox already, do we, darling?" Will gave her a kiss on the cheek before walking off with that smug smirk of his.

Her final words left Lola haunted, what exactly had she given him to think about? Was it at all possible for Natalie to want him back? No, it couldn't have been, Will's spousal support to her ended when she remarried a few months after they did. They were still together... weren't they?

 

"Why was she there?!"

Lola had to restrain herself from throwing anything within reach at Will. Livid was a mild way of putting her emotions, her fury only growing as the night went on. She had gone above and beyond in coordinating this banquet for her perverted father-in-law, only for it to be ruined by the presence of Wife #2. Lola chose to stay quiet for the rest of the evening unless spoken to and drowning her sorrows with champagne. Now that they were finally home and Paisley was sound asleep in bed, she was really going to let him have it.

"Will, I am so mad at you right now, it's not even funny. I could kill you, I'm not kidding."

"I don't see what the big deal is, the league probably invited her by mistake." Will said, following his wife into her closet, loosening his bow tie.

Lola twirled around from taking her jewelry off, her beautiful face twisted up into the nastiest grimace. Of course he didn't see the big deal in it, he seemed rather delighted to see his ex-wife.

"Bullshit, Will Halstead! We've been married for five years, the whole world knows that I'm your wife, not her!"

She took off her Guiseppe Zanotti black satin and white rhinestoned sandals, hurling them one by one, but Will was able to swiftly duck and avoid them. In addition to his racing career, he was also a dodgeball champion, and this year would be the twelfth year in a row he'd drop everything and go to Las Vegas to commentate at the World Dodgeball Championship and Convention. She noticed he was trying not to laugh.

"You think this is funny, don't you?"

He let go and full on chuckled. "Ha, yeah, maybe a little bit. We're just friends."

"Oh, now you're just friends? Were you just friends when she was trying to bleed you dry in the divorce settlement? I've never been friends with any of my exes, there is no reason for you to be friends with your's, Tawny Rae is the unlikely exception! Not Zoey or that Blackhawks cheerleader or Natalie, especially not Natalie."

"What is your issue with her, Lola?"

"My issue with her is that she's a stupid bitch! I don't like her, I never have and I never will, and she has the nerve to show up at MY event, to call MY baby by the wrong name?!

"Oh, come on. I'm sure it was a mistake calling her Penelope, get over it. You sound like a mad woman, she wasn't even there for twenty minutes."

"I'm the mad woman? Oh yeah, I bend over backwards to put that ceremony together for your dad-who is a fucking sleazebag, by the way- and the thanks I get is you getting cock happy over Bitch Doctor?! Yet I'm the one with the problem! Why didn't you just go and fuck her right in front of me?! You are such a jerk, I hate you!"

Lola attempted to smack him, but he grabbed either one of her wrists.

"Let go of me, Will!"

She brought her wrists up from his grip and started pounding his chest, only for him to turn her back to him, wrapping his arms around her's in an attempt of restraining.

"Sweetheart, calm down! You're drunk and don't know what you're saying. You don't want to wake Paisley."

Truth be told, Will had observed Lola most of the evening, knowing that Natalie's arrival had rattled her but now it seemed like something else was on her mind.

"Nooo, you're right, I don't. I don't want her to find out that her father is a jackass. All the Halstead men are jackasses! You, your father, especially him! I bet the two of you got together and came up with that brilliant plan last week, huh? Did you think I was stupid enough to fall for it?"

"What are you talking about? What plan?"

Lola finally broke free and narrowed her eyes in malice. "Don't play dumb with me, you know damn well what I'm talking about."

Will's eyes dropped in deep concern. "Lola, I swear I don't. Please tell me."

"Your father came on to me the night of his birthday dinner. He said that maybe he needed to teach me a few things because we have to do whatever we can to give you a son, that you and Jay are legends but that I'd be getting my chance with the legend founder."

He thought she would be spewing a bunch of nonsense about how she was somewhat offended, but never in a million years would he expect this. Will and Jay were well aware of their father's perversion for younger girls since their mother died, except it was mostly talk, he had never done anything about it other than going after Tawny Rae.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner? Does anybody else know?"

"I wanted to, I was going to that night but you were pretty shaken up. Erin walked in and saw him giving me a telling look. I figured if I locked it away eventually I would convince myself that it didn't happen."

Seeing how sad she was broke Will's heart. This wasn't something a shopping spree or anything else would fix, she clearly needed him. He pulled her in, wrapping his arms around her tightly, stroking her hair.

"Oh, baby, I'm so sorry that happened. I wish you would have told me sooner, but I can still do something about it."

This was exactly what Lola wanted, but it was too little too late. She was still too angry to let him off the hook so easily. She flinched when he started kissing her neck and face, trying to make his way to her lips.

"Will, stop."

For a moment of weakness, she succumbed to his kiss until finding her strength again and raising her voice, turning her head away since he wouldn't release her.

"Stop it! That's not going to work this time! I'm sticking by my word, you're both assholes! Jay is the only nice one! You don't care about me! I'm your wife, its your job to protect me from creeps like that!"

"How was I supposed to know?! He's my father! I'd expect it from the pit crew or guys at the track, but not him!"

"You're not observant, even though you're insanely possessive! You don't care about what happens to me, I'm nothing more than a painted up puppet for you to show off!"

Lola tried to wriggle her way out of his hold, only for him to lay them down on the carpet and get on top of her in a straddling position.

"Get off of me, you stupid selfish fuck! I hate you, I hate you!"

"Lola, stop it!" Will grabbed her face in his hands. "You have got to snap out of it! Is that why you're acting like this? Talk to me."

It was that statement that sent Lola over the edge to her breaking point, hot tears streaming down her pretty face. "I can't! What's the damn point?! You're never around, and when you are, you don't listen! It's always something more important, Paisley and I are just accessories of your success. I gave up my life for you, Will. My education, my career, and for what? To be trapped here in this mansion raising our child as a single parent while you're off living the dream."

"I never asked you to give anything up."

"It was hinted at all along, we both know that." She put her hand on his cheek, hardly able to see his face through her tears. "I love you, with my whole heart, but there's days where I doubt you even care about me in the slightest. I can't get through to you and I've tried everything. You need to be honest about whatever you're holding back from me, and we both know that you are."

Will looked down on his wife, finally seeing the sadness he had so desperately tried to ignore. He knew she was depressed, having seen it in his mother about his father, but he didn't know how to handle it with either one of them. He tried, but Jay had always been their mother's favorite, her sweet little blue jay. For as long as Will could remember, the adrenaline pumped days on the track and beer-fueled nights of adoring fans and unlimited fun were his escape, but he had to face the real world eventually.

"It's gonna take more than a night on the town and a few orgasms to fix our marriage. I mean, what happened? We were so in love when we first got together, now I feel like you purposely avoid coming home. You've given me this Anne Boleyn complex and you have to realize that it's not my fault. It's you that determines the sex of the offspring, not me."

He nodded. "I know, and I'm sorry, Lola. I never meant for you to feel that way at all. There's a lot of pressure on me to have a son, racing isn't a woman's sport. Kim is brave, but she's not my daughter and it would scare me shitless to have Paisley out on the track. I have over a hundred wins under my belt and I need a boy to carry on my legacy, I don't want it to be destroyed like Kobe Bryant's and Bruce Jenner's. I know I've been an ass and I'm sorry, but I think you're overreacting about Natalie. She's never done anything to you, only me. We're together now, isn't that enough?" Will stood up, extending his hand out to her. "It's been a long night and it's late, we should just go to sleep and discuss this another time."

**_He's avoiding this._ **

Lola wanted to lash out again, but it was a losing battle... until she discovered the ace up her sleeve. She took his hand, getting on her feet.

"Yes, you're right. It's been a busy week for all of us." Lola turned around, moving her hair and slipping the one shoulder strap off. "Would you unzip me?"

"Sure."

He took the zipper in his fingers, watching it trail down her back. Once it was to the bottom the gown fell to a puddle at her feet, leaving her in only a white satin thong. She turned to face her husband, watching him take in every line of her body.

"Thanks."

Will felt his throat becoming dry as he admired his trophy wife. In a way, she was his creation, having perfected her. The breast enhancement was probably his favorite part, those gorgeous 40 DD's were pure dynamite and felt real, not like the Dolly Parton tits Tawny Rae had. Her baby fat had gone away and given her a more womanly shape. He secretly got off on all the stares at her, especially tonight when she looked like a million bucks in her twelve thousand dollar gown.

"Honey, come here." He held both hands out to her.

"What?"

Will shook his head. "No questions, just come to me."

Reluctantly, she took his hands and was enveloped in his arms once more, his hands feeling the smoothness of her back and his chin resting on her shoulder, close enough to whisper in her ear.

"Lola, you're my girl. Natalie's my past and nothing more. If I wanted to be with her or any other woman, we would have gotten a divorce. You're the only one for me. Don't you remember our song?"

He started humming the first few bars of "My Cherie Amour" by Stevie Wonder, rocking her back and forth in the closet.

"Will, what are you doing?"

"What do you think?" He cracked a smile that she couldn't see. "I know you wanted to dance earlier, I saw you watching everybody."

Almost six months after he and Lola started dating, Will had been waiting for a plane from Atlanta to Nashville when the song started playing on Pandora, and Lola soon became etched in his mind. Upon hearing the first verse, he realized in that moment that he was very much in love and wanted to marry her.

Will cancelled his flight to get a new one to Chicago and surprised Lola with having Bruno Mars perform the song live and in the flesh on the basketball court of United Center, which had been strewn with over a thousand red and pink rose petals and candles. The whole Chicago Bulls cheerleading squad was there to witness him walk out in a suit and profess his undying love by getting down on one knee with his third generation ballerina ring and ask for her hand in marriage, which she gladly accepted through happy tears.

**_"My cherie amour, lovely as a summer day_ **

**_My cherie amour, distant as the milky way_ **

**_My cherie amour, pretty little one that I adore_ **

**_You're the only girl my heart beats for_ **

**_How I wish that you were mine"_ **

While Lola thought this was a sweet and pretty rare romantic gesture, there was no way in hell that he meant it, he was buzzed and rock hard.

"I guess you're right. I know you wouldn't want to put yourself through the embarrassment of a third divorce, not to mention how devastated Paisley would be, but she needs to be more than the only reason we're together."

She stood on her tiptoes, grazing her lips lightly past his, catching his bottom lip in her teeth and sucking before pulling away completely. Will's hand found her ass and gripped it, his nails digging into her flesh as he pulled her up on him.

"Of course not." He looked down on her, the infatuation clearly visible in his gaze. "My father's right, you really are the most beautiful. Why would I be with her when I have you?"

He tried to kiss her, only for her to turn around and walk him backwards until he was against the double doors of their bedroom. She pressed her body on his, knowing what she was doing to him, that her husband was ready to burst at this point. Lola reached her hand down the front of Will's pants, smiling at his stiffness.

"Somebody's excited, aren't they?"

He nodded, practically speechless as she kissed his neck and stroked him. She flicked his meatus with her fingernail, nearly making him lose his mind, his eyes fluttered as he groaned.

"Uh huh. Come on, let's take this to bed and I'll show you how much you mean to me. I wanna make sweet love to you, baby, bring you to the stars, like last night and this morning."

Now Will was the one that was putty in her hands, and Lola had him exactly where she wanted him. While it may not have been ideal to use her body as a weapon, he needed to be put in his place and taught never to pull that shit again.

"Not gonna happen."

Lola reached around to grab the door handles, opening them and shoving Will out. He was so gobsmacked that he ended up falling straight to the floor.

"You'll have lots of time to think of how much I mean to you... in the guest room."

She closed and locked both doors before he could even get to his feet, smiling to herself when he began knocking and trying to open the doors.

**_Serves that jackass right._ **

"Lola, please open the door." After a few more times he began pounding. "Open the fucking doors or I'll break them down!"

"Fine, scare the shit out of our three year old daughter by breaking the doors down. Smart thinking, brain trust."

Will groaned with a final pound to the door before walking off in frustration. "God damnit." He mumbled under his breath as he made his way to the guest room, where the only thing that would be keeping him company for the rest of the night were his blue balls. Whether or not they were much deserved he wasn't so sure...


	6. Starting Point

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flashbacks are shown of Will and Lola's first meeting and their wedding day; Lola indulges in a nasty habit before calling Will out on his negligence, who then reveals the reason behind Natalie's return.

**Hi, everybody! How has the past week been? Interesting reaction to Natalie's arrival! She's not over just yet! :O. Also, I made a couple mistakes so I had to go back in and change some things.**

**Thank you so much to all those that reviewed and followed: fallingforfiction, HermoineandMarcus, Lilli89, Ms. Isabella, NALEY23alwaysforever, Natascha2Tata and Undercover Weapon! Be sure to check out their stories!**

**These past few weeks have been quite hectic for me. I was going to post on the 31st, my birthday, but there was just too much going on and I didn't finish in time. Thank you, my fans, for your patience and support! Enjoy! :)**

**_Chapter Six: Starting Point_ **

**_SIX YEARS AGO_ **

_"...And that's another perfect shot from Kurt Thomas, with the Bulls being ahead fifteen points!"_

_"Yeah!" Jay Halstead jumped out of his seat, giving his friends high fives and slapping each other around. "Woo! That's how you do it!" He pointed out to the court and nodded his head before sitting down again, nudging his older brother. "Will, did you see that?"_

_He didn't even bother looking up from his phone. "Huh? Yeah, sure."_

_Jay glanced over his shoulder and rolled his eyes. "Dude, really?! What have I told you about lurking Natalie's Facebook?!"_

_"Ugh, he's doing it again?!" Kelly Severide, son of Halstead-Voight crew chief Benny Severide and Team 51's Rockstar #75 driver, asked._

_Will shrugged. "What? I just wanted to get a better look at my competition."_

_His divorce had been final for at least two months, his second in less than ten years, and at this point he wondered if he'd ever quell his playboy ways and settle down like his younger brother had. Zoe, his high school sweetheart, was unable to keep up with the fast paced life of NASCAR and they mutually decided to end things. Things at the beginning of his marriage to Natalie were fine, but near the end they were butting heads constantly, and he surprised her with divorce papers after she saved a baby's life in the E.R.. Now, Jay had taken it upon himself to cheer Will up, the two of them having a boy's night with some of their NASCAR family._

_Justin Voight, son of Halstead-Voight team owner Hank Voight and Budweiser #22 driver, rolled his eyes. "Man, you left her, you both moved on, it's over! You're with Tawny Rae now."_

_"Will, I'd dump that chick if I were you. God knows what diseases she caught swinging around on that Daytona pole." Said Adam Ruzek, another Halstead-Voight member and Target #59 driver. "I don't see her going past anything but a good time in the sheets."_

_Matt Casey, Team 51's Sherwin Williams #84 driver, agreed. "Don't you ever want to settle down and have a family? I gotta tell you, it's not half bad." He smiled, thinking of his wife Gabby, the former Team 51 Tampax #48 driver that retired early._

_The oldest Halstead son nodded. Truth be told, he did want those things. "Actually, yeah, I do. Don't doubt me, guys. I know that Tawny Rae is my rebound. When I find my next bride, it's the final one. I'm not going through another divorce again, I don't think my ego could handle it."_

_Jay patted him on the shoulder. "You got it, bud. For now, let's just enjoy the game, ok?"_

_"Ladies and gentleman, put your hands together for the multi-platinum, chart topping Fall Out Boy and the Chicago Luvabulls!"_

_The lights flickered as the crowd erupted into thunderous applause and finally shone on the band. The beginning guitar and drums for "Beat It" started playing as the Luvabulls strutted out, hiding their faces with black fedoras, which were thrown off when the guitars led into the famous hook from Michael Jackson's original version. When Will saw her, he felt his heart stop beating for a split second._

_"Whoa, who is that?"_

_She was a goddess on air, executing every move with near flawless ease, the whole squad was perfectly in sync. From their court side seats, he had the best view in the house to check her out._

_"Who's who, Will?" Matt asked._

_He pointed at his current infatuation. "The brunette second from the left in the front."_

_The five of them finally saw her, nailing back handsprings, twists and turns, rolling her hips to the music and pyrotechnics. She looked at Will with her golden colored eyes and smiled, truly dazzling him, his heart once again stopping for a moment._

_Jay nodded in approval. "Wow, you're right. She's a looker."_

_Will gave his younger brother an annoyed glance. "That's it? She's more than a looker, she's fucking gorgeous and she will be mine."_

_Besides her pizzazz, what really intrigued Will was her physique: big boobs that were accentuated in a black and red balero top, a long and toned waist, not to mention the teeniest ass he had ever seen, which he could perfectly make out in her too short of black pleated skirt, the black patent leather boots making her shapely legs the perfect length. He also noticed that she had a tramp stamp tattoo of the Chicago Bulls logo, which he found rather sexy._

_Adam laughed. "I know that look, it was the look he gave me right before he kicked our asses at 24 Hours of Le Mans."_

_"Check out the asses on these honeys! Woo-Hoo!" Justin rolled his fist in the air._

_"I think she noticed you, bro." Jay said, noticing how the girl smiled._

_"Yeah, I know she did, and I gotta find out who she is." Will waved to Sylvie Brett, who was the Bulls' public relations rep._

_"Hey guys, how's everything going?" She asked over the music, sharply dressed in a power suit, a low bun in her hair and black rimmed glasses. "Can I get you anything else?"_

_"We're having an awesome time!" Kelly shouted._

_Will nodded, motioning for her to lean in closer. "Yes, you can! Who is that cheerleader?" He pointed towards the girl as she did an aerial into the splits._

_Sylvie smiled, knowing exactly who he was talking about. "Come by the locker room after the game and I'll introduce you."_

_"Absolutely."_

_The cheerleaders got in their final pose as the last song ended. After the applause, the girl winked at Will before strutting off with the rest of the squad._

_"Lola, oh, my god! Did you see who had court side seats?!" Chili, one of the cheerleaders, asked the girl Will was staring at, linking arms with her. Chili was a spunky Latina with curly brown hair and brown eyes, a girly girl and tomboy rolled into one._

_"No, who?"_

_"Freaking Will Halstead! He looks so cute in those Dior cologne ads!"_

_"They're pretty steamy, with him and Miranda Kerr. Talk about a random pairing." Lola nodded, not wanting to admit that she saw him._

_"He was totally checking you out, I saw it."_

_"Really? I saw his brother, talk about a stud. Too bad he's married."_

_"But Will isn't, he's newly single and was banging you with your eyes! He was talking to Sylvie and pointing at you, maybe he'll ask you out!"_

_They laughed at Chili's excitement as they rounded the locker room._

_"That guy is not looking for anything more than a quick fix. I'm sure he'll be a bachelor forever."_

_Lola had felt him watching her the entire performance and saw him talking to Sylvie, but she didn't want to get her hopes up. Dating anybody in the world of sports was a big no-no in her book, they were nothing but players and heartbreakers. At nineteen, she had had her fill of flings and playing the field bored her. All Lola wanted to do was focus on her child psychology studies and cheerleading, she had even segwayed into modeling a bit. There was no room for anything trivial._

_"Mark my words, I will NEVER go out with a ginger or an athlete."_

 

_"Man, do we have to do this? I gotta take a leak like a sonuvabitch!" Justin whined, dry humping the air in his drunkeness. They were all waiting in the hallway of the locker room so Will could meet the cheerleader, but it had been forty five minutes and it was getting quite boring. "I'm gonna whip it out and write my name right here." He started unbuckling his belt._

_"Shut up and put your dick back in your pants!" Will snapped, shoving him. "We aren't leaving until I meet her."_

_"Juss, hold it in. We gotta follow through and make sure this one isn't a fluke. That Tawny Rae has bad news written all over her." Matt said._

_"Wouldn't you like to know what else was on her?"_

_The six of them busted up laughing so hard that tears sprang to their eyes, they didn't even notice one of the cheerleaders approaching them._

_"Kelly Severide, what trouble are you getting yourself into?"_

_They looked over to see a tall African American girl with curly black hair walking towards them, making Kelly smile._

_"April Sexton! It's been forever!" He happily swept her up in a hug. "I had no idea you were one of the Luvabulls!"_

_"Well I knew you were one of NASCAR's hottest! I thought I saw you out there."_

_"You sure did." Kelly turned to the guys, wrapping an arm around her waist. "Guys, this is April Sexton, we go way back from high school."_

_"Will," Sylvie walked up with the cheerleader. "This is Lola, one of our most popular Luvabulls."_

_Lola smiled and nodded her head at all of them. "Hey, guys. Thanks for coming out tonight."_

_She was even prettier up close, though her teeth were slightly shifted, most likely from not wearing headgear long enough, and her nose had a very small bump in it, but she was still a knockout._

_"Whoa."_

_Will opened his mouth to speak when Justin shoved past him to get a better look at her. "Hey, baby, you're super fine. You wanna get out of here? I'll get you screaming across the finish line in record time."_

_Lola rolled her eyes and laughed. "Wow! How could any woman resist you with a line like that? I may faint from all your charm."_

_Justin scoffed. "Whatever, your loss, chick."_

_Will took the moment to jump in. "You did really great out there tonight."_

_"Thanks. Chili is just talking to the players, she'll be out soon."_

_Jay spoke up. "I don't know who that girl is, but my brother came here for you."_

_"Really?" Lola had to restrain the smile that was threatening to pop out, she didn't want to look like a moron._

_"Yes, m'am." Will nodded._

_She allowed the slightest bit of a smile to shine through, cool but not enamored. "I recognize you from those Japanese soda commercials, you're a good sport."_

_"You think so, huh?" He could feel his face heating up. When he was asked to do a series of commercials for Ramune Soda, Will had assumed that they would never resurface in the U.S., which proved to be humiliating when **EXTRA** managed to locate a copy. Luckily for him, his popularity grew, but he was still mortified._

_"Yeah, for somebody that made out with a serow and had to do backflips. I still found it amusing, takes a lot of character." Lola looked over at the rest of the guys. "Hey, you're Matt Casey, right?"_

_He nodded. "Yeah, hey."_

_"Could I get an autograph by any chance? My nephew is a huge fan."_

_Will nodded before Matt could reply. "Of course, we'll all give you one."_

_"Great, I'll go grab a ball! You should sign one for the stadium, too." Sylvie ran off, leaving Lola with the drivers._

_"So, uh, have you ever driven a real race car before?" Will asked, looking down on her, slightly fidgeting._

_She had to admit, up close, there was something about him that was spellbinding. Maybe it was his smile or his earthy brown eyes or the fact that every one of his muscles was perfectly outlined in the shirt he was wearing, but Will Halstead was definitely sexy._

_"No, I haven't."_

_"You want to?" He flashed a killer grin her way, to which she laughed at._

_"Wow, four in one night. That's a new record, April."_

_Will looked confused. "New record? For what?"_

_Lola shook her head. "Oh, nothing. First there was the roadie for the band, then Pete Wentz, then this one," she pointed at Justin. "and now you."_

_"Come on, girl!" Adam shouted, wrapping his arm around Will's neck. "My boy is something else. He's a winner everywhere he goes! The track, the sheets, you want to go on this wild roller coaster ride."_

_"I can vouch for that. My brother is a good guy." Jay said._

_She laughed at how drunk they all were. "Don't get me wrong, I'm flattered but I'm not juvenile. I know exactly how you guys work. You'll wine and dine me, take me shopping wherever I want to go, whisper sweet nothings in my ear until my clothes hit the floor and then bam!" Lola snapped her fingers. "Once you've gotten what you set out for, you're off to the next one."_

_"Here's the balls!" Sylvie trilled, running back through with two brand new basketballs and multiple sharpies. "Also, can I get a quick picture with you guys? Lola, April, get in closer." She motioned them together, pulling out a camera._

_Will wrapped his arm around Lola's bare waist, tempted to run his hands all over the rest of her body. Her skin was incredibly soft, not to mention that her perfume was quite intoxicating, a peachy cinnamon._

_"You know, I'm not like those basketball players you're constantly around, I think you'd be pleasantly surprised. That and I don't let anybody drive my car, I'd make an exception just for you."_

_"Ha, I beg to differ, but nice try."_

_Lola could curse herself for actually enjoying the feeling of his arm wrapped around her, which was when she looked down and noticed the black cross tattoo on his finger. Strange, but cute, not to mention he smelled amazing._

_"Great, thanks so much!" Sylvie said after taking the picture, Will turning his attention back to Lola._

_"What, so your viewpoint is that all famous guys are the same? That's a little one sided, don't you think?" This was the first time Will had ever been rejected, and quite frankly, it only made him want her more. "You heard my friends, I'm a nice guy. Let me take you out on a date and prove it."_

_"I'm sure you're a great guy, I just don't date athletes, sorry."_

_This was not what she had planned for after the game. All Lola wanted to do was change her clothes, go home and take a relaxing bubble bath before going to sleep. A part of her actually did want to go out with him, but why invest in something that would have no return?_

_Will heavily sighed, but she could still see him wanting to smirk, not knowing there was an ace up his sleeve. "Fine, fine. Just answer me one question though: Do you know who Paul Newman is?"_

_She nodded. "Of course, **The Hustler** is one of my favorite movies."_

_"Alright." He held up his wrist, revealing a stainless steel watch with a red face and sapphire covered dials. "This is a Paul Newman Ferrari Red Rolex Daytona 6565, it was designed for him for the movie **Winning** and works on a mechanical Caliber727. There's only two of these made in the world, Paul Newman had one and my dad had the other, he gave it to me when I turned sixteen years old. It's been my good luck charm throughout my racing career and I've never taken it off."_

_"Wow, that's quite a history. You've really never taken it off?"_

_"Not until right now." Turning his wrist over, he unclasped the watch, making everybody around them shocked._

_"WHAT?!" Justin shouted, trying to grab Will's arm. "Dude, no pussy is worth Cool Hand Luke's watch!"_

_"Knock it off, Justin." Will finished taking the watch off and took Lola's wrist in his hand. "When you decide that you want to go on a date with me, let me know when to come back for it." He slid the watch on and clasped it. She looked down, admiring it's beauty, before seeing the determination in his eyes._

_"I'm sorry, I can't accept this. It's priceless."_

_"Like I said, let me know when to come back."_

_He shot her a wink and a smile before walking off, his friends still staring at her before joining him._

_"Will, Dad is going to be so pissed when he finds out." Lola heard Jay telling him, but all Will did was shrug._

_Sylvie walked up to her, staring down at that watch. "Do you know how much that watch is worth? It's like one of the top ten most expensive watches in the world. I saw it on the news a few years ago."_

_"I can't take this, how the hell am I supposed to get it back to him? This is crazy."_

_"Yeah, which is why you should go after him."_

_Lola looked up at her, unsure of what to say. "Sylvie-"_

_She shook her head. "No, Lola. I don't want to hear it. Yeah, I know you don't date athletes, but how bad could it possibly be? He was clearly interested in you, I saw the look on his face when he asked who you were earlier. Just go out with him, one date. Gotta break the rules at some point. As your roommate and best friend, I think you should do it. "_

_Lola knew Sylvie was right, she had to date outside the box and she was feeling an attraction. Maybe Will was different, but she wouldn't know if she didn't dive in head first._

_"You're right, I know what I have to do."_

_Sylvie smiled and elbowed Lola, handing her one of the sharpies. "Go get him, Tiger."_

 

_"That was stupid, Will. You know you're never going to get that watch back, right?" Kelly asked as they waited for their limo in front of the stadium._

_"Ha, we shall see about that, my good friend."_

_Yes, it was a huge gamble giving up his family heirloom like that, but Will wouldn't have done it if he didn't have complete faith that he'd hear from Lola. Sometimes being stubborn called for spontaneity._

_Adam shook his head. "It'll be an icy track before you ever see that watch again."_

_"HALSTEAD!"_

_They all turned around to see Lola running out the front doors and toward them. Will smiled, knowing his plan had worked._

_"Hey." He walked up to her, knowing that the guys were totally speechless. "Did you change your mind?"_

_She nodded. "Yes, something like that. You kind of put me in a tough spot when you put Paul Newman's watch on my wrist, but that's not the only reason why I came running after you."_

_"Why did you?"_

_They both knew why, but he was testing her, and she kind of didn't mind at this exact moment._

_"I came back because I wanted to accept. Yes, I will go out on a date with you, and all I have to say is you better prove me wrong."_

_"Don't worry, I'm going to." He said with a smile._

_"Here's my number." Lola grabbed Will's hand and wrote her number down on his palm. "Give me a call sometime."_

_"You can count on it."_

_"Have a good night." She flashed him a flirtatious smile before turning around._

_"You, too."_

_Will stood there, watching her, noticing she had a cute sashay in her walk. She looked over her shoulder when she got to the door and waved one last time before walking in._

_"I'm sorry, Ruzek, what were you saying about icy race tracks?" He turned around and held his hand up, to which the guys cheered._

_For the first time in years, he was actually excited about going out with a girl. Maybe this could lead to something more._

**_SIX MONTHS AFTER THAT_ **

_"Bye, everybody! I love you!"_

_Lola waved to all their wedding guests as the limo drove off. After the window went up, she smiled over at her groom._

_"Wow, what a day, huh?"_

_Will nodded, loosening his tie with one hand and wrapping his arm around his new wife's waist, pulling her in. "I'll say. My other two weddings weren't like this, but this one is definitely my favorite, not to mention my favorite bride."_

_It had indeed been a gorgeous spring day at the track, the wedding's theme being Tiffany's on Talladega with motifs of black and white checkered flags and robin eggshell blue boxes tied with white satin ribbons, the latter being the color of the bridesmaid's dresses and the bride's Aruba calla lily bouquet. This was definitely Will's most expensive wedding, with beef wellington, blackened salmon and platinum encrusted wedding cake for over three hundred guests._

_Lola smiled as she rested her head on his shoulder. "And you're definitely my favorite husband, I plan on you being my only husband."_

_He gave her a kiss on the check. "That's good to know, because I plan on you being my last wife. What I want to know is how you were able to move around in this dress."_

_"It was easier than you think." She then proceeded to straddle him._

_Lola looked like a true princess in her dress, which consisted of a white satin and rhinestoned sweetheart corset and tulle hoop skirt, wearing long white satin gloves and her hair in an updo with a tiara veil._

_"Well, you look beautiful, doll. Are you excited for our honeymoon?"_

_"Mmhmm." She nodded in excitement, a big smile on her face as she removed her tiara veil and gloves. "I can't believe you rented an entire plane to take us to Australia!"_

_"Of course, why wouldn't I? Lola," He cupped her cheek, stroking it with his thumb. "I'm a very wealthy man and you're my wife, the object of my affection. Say what's on your mind and it's yours."_

_"Ha, we'll see about that. I've never been on a plane for almost twenty four hours. What are we going to do?"_

_"Hmmm, I can think of one way to pass the time." Will grinned libidinously, reaching up the hoop skirt to remove her panties, biting at her neck. She moaned as he slid her panties down her legs and his fingers inside her, capturing his lips in a fervent kiss, full of heat and desire. The past three months had been incredibly passionate for them, Lola had been well worth the wait for Will._

_"Wait a second, I wanna say something." Lola said in between kisses._

_"What's going on? You have my undivided attention, now and always, my love."_

_She put her hands on his chest, smiling at him. "I dreamed for you, every night I'd look up at the sky and talk to the stars, asking them to send me my prince. I know that at first I was hesitant because I thought that you'd be just like every other asshole athlete that I've come across, but as time went on I realized you were the one for me. I know I said my vows earlier, but can I say them again, please?"_

_"Of course."_

_"Ok. I, Lola, will love you every single day for the rest of my life. I promise to do whatever I can to make you happy, work through whatever problems we may have, be the loudest cheerleader at your races, and give you lots and lots of adorable babies, particularly boys."_

_He smiled, taking her free hand in his. "I promise to be the best husband I can, support your dreams and do whatever I can to make you happy. I love you, Lola, until the end. Out of all my wives, you're the sweetest and most down to earth, I know we'll have a very wonderful life together, baby." Will leaned up and kissed her sweetly. Sometimes the sincere moments like this were just as good as those in the thralls of passion. "For the record, I wouldn't mind a little girl, either. I always wanted a sister."_

_"Well, I'll try to give you one of both, maybe two."_

_"Then I think we should get to practicing then, shouldn't we?" He grabbed Lola's hand, shoving it down the front of his pants before kissing her again. The once playboy was looking forward to what life would be like as a family of his own._

 

Lola gasped and looked in the mirror, seeing crushed Wellbutrin on her Cupid's bow. Having never done drugs before, it was still a little weird to be on anti-depressants, she wasn't even sure if they were working, which is why she snorted them.

She got the idea from Bobby, a blue haired seventeen year old boy with bipolar disorder who was the son of the Chicago A.D.A.. They always had the same appointment on Mondays and Wednesdays at Dr. Hannah Tramble's office. Even though Lola always wore darkened sunglasses and a wig, he recognized her from her Luvabull days and struck up conversation one afternoon about the Food Network. Having been in and out of boarding schools and rehabs for the past few years of his life, she felt sorry for him, he seemed like a bright boy who was having difficulty getting past his addictions and psychological problems. Her problems were a different story entirely.

Looking at herself, Lola pinched her nose and sniffed, wiping off the white remnants and rubbing them on her gums. She had been around enough cheerleaders and NASCAR groupies to know how to get rid of the evidence. The taste of the pills was too chalky to swallow, Bobby said snorting them would kick in faster and make her forget the taste, but it did nothing to make her forget the stupidity of her decision.

**_How could you be so fucking ignorant? You have a child!_ **

Luckily, nobody had been around to notice her little habit or how numb she was. Will was always on the road and their house staff kept to themselves. Lola only took her meds when she knew Paisley was either sound asleep, heavily preoccupied or wouldn't be home.

A knock at the door pulled Lola from her thoughts, knowing it was Will. Even though it was beyond gratifying to toss him out on his ass, it didn't mean that the situation was resolved. He was only going to be here for another week, maybe he came to his senses after a night alone.

Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, she left her bathroom and opened the door.

"Hi."

He was still in his Versace tux, which was completely wrinkled now, his hair a mess and his eyes had dark circles underneath them. The night of blue balls had turned him into hell's bitch.

"Hi." She replied quietly, motioning him inside. As soon as she turned around, Will grabbed Lola by the hand and pulled her in, wrapping his arms around her and resting his chin on her head. Once she was in his embrace, her tears fell, even though she tried her hardest to restrain them.

"I hate you for doing this to me."

Lola had to do everything to subdue the amount of tears, not wanting to go into a full blown meltdown. She cried into his chest, wetting the fabric of his shirt, balling up the back of his jacket into fists.

"I'm not proud of myself either, honey."

Will held her closer, kissing her neck. When he caught her gaze, she seemed different. There were just barely traces of the young, vibrant cheerleader he fell in love with. Now, she looked exhausted and lost, and he couldn't help but think that some of it was his fault.

Lola wiped her tears away and straightened up, once again surging into battle, the battle of getting him to listen. "You have no idea what it's like being me, all the nights I've cried myself to sleep, wishing you were there to comfort me. I know I shouldn't be reliant on you, but marriage isn't independence. We need to rely on each other, which means that you should own up to all the turmoil you've caused us."

He heard what she was saying but couldn't find it in himself to admit he agreed.

"Lola, what do you want me to say? Do you know how much of a hassle it was to clear my schedule just for the past few weeks to spend time with you guys?"

She could feel herself getting frustrated, unsure of what it would take to get through to him.

"What's your point? You're one of the top drivers in the whole league, you should be able to call the shots and take time whenever you want. Paisley is going to be four years old, it was by pure luck that you were there when she first walked and talked, but what else are you willing to risk missing? When she learns how to ride a bike, her first day of school, her prom, her graduation?"

Will shook his head. "You're getting ahead of yourself, Lola, and you know that me taking a year off is out of the question. I've got sponsors up my ass wanting to shoot endorsement deals, my dad flipping out on me and my brother, it's never ending. You may think it's hard being you, but it's so much harder being me."

She scoffed, a glare on her face. "You're unbelievable, you know that? There you go again turning it around on me, making this about you and your career. It's always some bigger name on the other end demanding your attention. Then you had the nerve to act so nonchalant about Natalie showing up out of the blue. How would you feel if one of my ex-boyfriends showed up? Will, I'm your wife, you always have to take my side. You shouldn't have even let anybody question my decision about her leaving."

"Lolly, she had a reason for showing up, one that had to be discussed in person."

"What, did she throw herself in your arms and beg you to take her back? Doing everything she could to persuade you to leave me." She laughed maniacally, which is when she convinced herself she might be going insane.

All Will did was cross his arms. "Her husband Jeff was killed overseas in October."

Once Lola heard the news, her compassionate heart awakened from the ice-encased darkness, feeling a bit guilty for having been so rude. "That's terrible, I'm so sorry."

Her own worst nightmare had come true for Natalie, being a widow. Every time Will raced, despite how decorated and skilled he was, Lola always had the fear in the back of her mind that something would happen to him. Sure, Zoe and Natalie most likely had that same fear, but Lola was the mother of Will's only child. How would she explain to her sweet Paisley that Daddy wouldn't ever be coming home?

Two years ago, Matt Casey cracked his skull in a seven car pile up and had to have surgery to alleviate bleeding in his brain, but the accident resulted in neurological damage such as memory loss, headaches, angry outbursts and erratic behavior, which was noticed by many when he punched Will one night when the four of them were out at dinner, causing a scene. His doctors had told him that if another accident happened again it could be deadly, but after recuperating for two months he was back in the swing of things. Although, it didn't erase the fact that Gabby and their daughter Carmelle were absolutely wrecks at the time.

"How long has it been since this happened?"

"Seven months ago. That's not all."

Lola raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What else?" Her stomach coiled in intestinal knots at the anticipation for his words.

"Natalie and Jeff had a little boy about six months after Paisley was born. His name is Owen and she wants me to legally adopt him as my son."


	7. Crazy From Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lola vocally doubts staying married to Will, who tries to see her side of things; Lola confronts Natalie on the phone before reaffirming her dominance with her husband, who agrees to marriage counseling; Will confronts Kirkland about coming on to Lola; Will and Lola spend a lovely afternoon with Paisley, the latter feeling hopeful and the former wondering what life would have been like with having Owen as his son.

**Hi, everybody! Finally updating! _PUH-LEEZ, DO NOT_ get me started on the _Med_ promo for next week, I would have liked to see what else was going to happen in the episode. I am just _SO NOT_ feeling those two. That and it's been fun having Natalie being the antagonist. What an ending to the last chapter, huh? ;) Thank you so much to all those that reviewed and followed: fallingforfiction, HermoineandMarcus, NALEY23alwaysforever, Natascha2Tata, Lilli89, Ms. Isabella and that one guest! Be sure to check out their stories, they are quite awesome!**

**I listened to "Crazy in Love" and "Haunted" by Beyonce while writing the lemon, both from the _Fifty Shades of Grey_ soundtrack (HATED the movie but ADORED the soundtrack!). You might not be able to look at Will Halstead in the same light again! :0**

**_DISCLAIMER: VERY GRAPHIC SEXUAL CONTENT!_ **

**_Chapter Seven: Crazy From Love_ **

Lola blinked several times, absolutely flabbergasted. She had to have been hearing things, because what Will had just said made absolutely zero sense.

"I'm sorry, I'm not quite sure I understand what you're saying."

"I said-"

She cut him off. "That was rhetorical, I _know_ what you said. What I'm trying to comprehend is why you'd consider this in the first place."

"He's three years old and his father was killed right after his birthday, fighting in a war. Owen needs a positive male role model in his life, I think I can be that to him."

"Why are you telling me this? Why do you think that it would be something that I'd ever agree to? "Oh, sure, honey, spend time with some other child instead of your own, who you barely see enough as it is". Are you fucking kidding me?! What would your dad say about this?" Lola shook her head. "No, wrong person. Who am I kidding? He'd be thrilled! What would your brother say about this?"

"It's not really up to you now, is it? I think it'll give Paisley practice for when the new baby comes."

" _If_ the new baby comes. At the rate you're going, the only thing you'll be getting out of me is another divorce instead of another child."

She turned around and couldn't help smiling to herself. He wasn't the only one who knew how to play the game.

Will's throat suddenly became dry, his face draining of color. "You can't be serious."

Lola looked over her shoulder at him. "Oh, but I am. Give me one good reason why I should stay in this trap of a marriage."

"You're the love of my life, my soulmate. Lola," Will raced up behind her, grabbing her arms and pulling her against him, his mouth on her neck. "You can't leave me, you're the one I'm meant to stand the test of time with."

"Ha! Do you hear yourself? What harlequin romance did you steal that out of?" Lola flung his arms off of her. "Come on, Will. You're stubborn, conceited and an all around jackass." She narrowed her eyes, her anger emerging. "Not to mention you're most likely cheating on me. Why else do you stay away from home for so long? You don't want to be reminded of the obligations you're neglecting, because that's all we are to you."

"Where is this coming from? Last night you were crying to save our marriage."

"I was, and I love you just as much as I hate you, but I don't know if you're going to change. Maybe we should get divorced, then you and Natalie can get back together, it's so obvious that's what she's ultimately aiming for. Save us all a lot of time and admit that you still have feelings for her. You'll finally get your boy, because everybody knows you don't give a shit about the child you do have."

"I've told you endlessly that my schedule is a nightmare. You want to keep spending my black card on Louis Vuitton and Christian Louboutin, let me do my job to keep you in the lifestyle you've become accustomed to."

She couldn't help but notice that he singlehandedly ignored her comments about Natalie, which sent her paranoia through the roof.

"Don't give me that bullshit. All I want is for you to be honest, be a man and tell me you're fooling around!" Lola folded her arms across her chest. "Quit lying to me already!"

"Lola, why would I cheat? I wouldn't dare. You're the sexiest girl I've ever known and you're my goddess, I'm always turned on by you. I swear on my mother's grave and Paisley's head that I'm faithful. Besides, if I was cheating, you'd know. Once the WAGS get ahold of good gossip, their lips aren't sealed for long." Will heavily sighed, looking down on her. What he did wasn't technically cheating, rather, contributing to the performing arts...

"Look, I'm not some blind idiot. I know what you're going through."

Her anger dissipated for a moment. "How could you possibly know?"

"You weren't wrong, I am stubborn and always have to be right. My mom was feeling the same way as you, always thinking something would happen whenever my dad went out. I tried to help her, but the kind of help she needed wouldn't be coming from me or my brother, it had to come from my dad, and we all know what an ass he is. I was up all night thinking about what he said, I'm so sorry, Lola. It makes me sick to my stomach."

"It should and it made me feel like some cheap whore. Your way of doing things isn't working and you need to compromise or you'll lose everything you say to hold dear."

Lola was tempted to tell him about Dr. Tramble and the anti-depressants, but he'd probably try to convince her she didn't need them.

"I want to believe that there's nothing wrong with this marriage, but I'd be lying to myself. I'm willing to make the compromises, but so should you. As ridiculous as this sounds, I think I could be a good mentor for little Owen. Natalie emailed me a PDF of the paperwork, it looks really legit. If we can at least give it a try-"

"Absolutely not! The fact that you're asking is beyond absurd! You have a child that's your own! If you want to be somebody's mentor, save it for your daughter, even your soon to be ten nieces and nephews."

At this point, her blood was boiling. How could she have married somebody so insensitive and stupid?! Alas, he wasn't entirely at fault. Even though she hardly knew her, Lola did know that Natalie could not be trusted as far as she could be thrown. For all she knew, this could have been a plan years in the making.

"If your legacy is more important than your own family, then fine. Sign the papers, have your son, but I'm gone and I'll make sure that you never see Paisley again. It shouldn't make that big of a difference, you hardly see her as it is."

"You wouldn't do that to me."

"That's where you're wrong, I would. I'm her mother, I'm the one she's with all the time. There isn't a judge in Chicago or even the state that wouldn't grant sole custody in my favor, so don't even try me, Will. When are you supposed to give Bitch Doctor an answer?"

"By today."

"She wanted you to make a life-changing decision by today? Damn, talk about impatient. Give me your phone."

He scrunched his eyebrows in puzzlement. "What? No way, I'm not giving you my phone."

"You're not getting out of this unscathed. Now, give me your phone because I'm the one that has to handle this since you couldn't last night." Lola snapped her fingers and held her hand out, demanding the phone, which he hastily dug out of his pocket.

"Fine, you win. It shouldn't have gotten to this length."

Dialing Natalie's number and putting it on speaker phone, Lola looked over at him. "You're right, it shouldn't have. You should have had the balls to laugh her out of the room."

The clicking of the phone indicated that Natalie had picked up the line.

"Hey, Red Hots. I knew you'd call. What did she say?"

Lola cleared her throat, suddenly feeling jittery from the medication, but still ready to lambaste this chick. ""She" is on the phone and "she" wants to talk to you."

Judging by the brief silence, the smile that had been on Natalie's face when she answered the phone had disappeared.

"Oh, hello, Lola."

"Hello, _Natalie_. Care to explain this little offering you presented to my husband? Did you forget he's already fathered a child?"

"No, but mine needs a new one immediately. I figured since Will has always wanted a little boy and you've been incapable-"

"What, you figured you'd be Mother Nature, sweep in and take over? You figured wrong." Lola replied as she locked the bedroom door. "Look, I'm genuinely sorry about what happened, my heart goes out to you. This must be a very difficult time, but outsourcing a father for your son isn't going to help. Will has a child that's actually his, he's moved on from you and is with me now. Take as long as you need to grieve, then after some time you should get back out into dating, find a guy and marry him. That's how you'll find a new father for your son, but you sure as hell aren't taking the father of my child away. It would be in your best interest to take my advice with no questions asked and don't even think about double crossing me, because now we have bad blood between us. If I find out you contacted my husband or anybody else in my family again, _I'll fucking kill you_ , and then Owen will need a whole new set of parents. Are we clear, Natalie?"

The former Mrs. Halstead started stammering. "Y-yes."

Lola smiled manically. "Good, I thought so. Have a nice day." She hung up the phone, her wicked smile still in tact and Will was in complete shock.

"What have you done?"

"You may be mad at me now, but you'll know some day that this is what had to be done and it was the right thing."

Shoulders back, Lola sauntered over to her husband, putting her hands on his shoulders. He appeared rather solemn, but agreed with her, nodding.

"Thank you, I know. You're a really good wife, you know that?"

"The best one you've ever had, Halstead." Telling Natalie off certainly turned Lola on, she was the one that held the power over both their heads now and she wanted more.

"You know what they say, behind every great man is a great woman, and I know I'm yours."

Lola grabbed the lapels of his jacket, smashing her lips on his, kissing him with such fervency as she laid them on the carpet.

"Mmm, babe, what's gotten into you?" Will asked, watching her fling his tux jacket open, ripping his shirt so hard the buttons flew everywhere.

"I am a good wife, and I'm going to make sure you never forget it."

Lola made her way to his neck, biting the spot that connected to his shoulder so hard he nearly screamed.

"Damn it! You know how I feel about hickeys, Lola." Will grimaced as she sucked his skin.

"I don't care. You're always in control, on and off the track, but now it's my turn."

She slithered down his body until arriving at his crotch, licking her lips over the juicy phallus she eagerly pulled out. Lola grabbed the head, swiping the pre-cum on her tongue before taking his throbbing length into her mouth.

"Fuck, Lola. I love it when you deep throat me, you're such a bad girl. It makes me hot."

Will threaded his fingers in Lola's hair, pushing her down further until she slapped his hand away, pinning both hands at his sides. The smacking of her lips on his dick were the most concupiscent form of music he ever heard, the sight of her sucking away only made him harder.

"I'm gonna cum all over that pretty little face of yours."

Lola looked at him, pulling away and standing up, confusing her husband.

"Wait, what are you doing? Don't stop! It was so good!"

"Oh, I don't plan on stopping any time soon."

She flung her tank top over her head and kicked off her pajama pants, swinging her legs on either side of his waist, slowly sliding down on his cock. They both moaned once she was fully inside.

"Damn, you're so tight, it's amazing." Will's hands instinctively went for her hips, only for them to be slapped away once again. Lola grabbed his hands and put them above his head, hooking together the cufflinks on his jacket as makeshift handcuffs.

"I'd like to see you get out of that."

She began to roll her hips like she had done so many times before on the basketball court, which was now replaced by her husband's cock. Lola knew it was driving Will crazy that he wasn't in charge, she decided to make this last as long as she could.

"Lola, I have to get my hands on you."

Her perfect nude body riding him had Will incredibly riled, all he wanted was to touch and caress his gorgeous wife, under the influence of her sexual being.

"You wish." She let out a breathy laugh, pulling out to just the tip before sailing down again, making him groan with each grind. Lola would switch up the speeds, from high accelerated bouncing to agonizingly slow undulations, his fingers desperately trying to unhook the cufflinks.

"You can't stand it that I've taken the lead, can you, Will? It's not so bad with me behind the wheel, is it?"

Lola clawed down the front of his chest, making her husband grumble in both agony and arousal, thin lines of blood appearing on his chiseled abs. She leaned in, wrapping her hands around his neck and pulling him up, not choking too hard but enough to freak him out, which he certainly was. Lola began to move on him faster, their foreheads pressed together, lips inches apart, making him see the twisted lust in her eyes.

"Don't you dare forget for a second how very good you have it, and that includes me."

She kissed him, having it reciprocated with the same amount of heat, to the point of leaving them both breathless, the grip on his neck tightening little by little as his wrists continued to fumble.

"Success, adoration, talent, but nobody will ever come close to fucking your brains out like I can, not even your precious Natalie."

Will finally unlocked the cufflinks, nearly throwing the jacket and shirt off his skin to wrap his arm around Lola's waist and flipping her on her back, a surprised gasp coming out of her mouth.

"Looks like you met my challenge."

"And here I thought I was just going to show you how appreciative I am."

He slammed inside, almost missing the hilt from her wetness pooling, making her cry out in pleasure and pull him in, smashing their lips together. Will pulled away, holding onto Lola's face with both hands as he roughly pounded into her.

"Nobody will ever love you like I do, you can spend the rest of your life trying, but it's not going to happen. You're mine."

"Just shut up and kiss me! Fuck me harder!"

Tongues viscously crossing, meeting thrust for thrust, nails digging into flesh, rolling all over the carpet, neither one of them could remember the last time sex had been so... aggressive.

Their sexual supernova exploded into the erotic galaxy they had created on the bedroom floor, bodies shuddering in release, perspiration bathing them in the aftermath as they tried to catch their breath but not wanting to take their lips or hands off the other.

The heat simmered down, the zealous kisses turned into slow pecks, staring into each other's eyes, sweat matted hair outlining their faces.

"Whoa. What was that?" Will asked, stroking her hip in circles.

Lola shrugged. "I think that was us letting out our pent-up frustrations."

"In that case, sign me up for regular sessions, but maybe we should actually get to a bed? This rug burn is killer."

"Ha, I'll make a note of that." She lightly scratched his back with one hand and put the other on the nape of his neck. "This isn't going to solve all our problems, Will. What are we going to do?"

"I don't know, Lola. All I know is I don't want to lose you or what we have."

"Neither do I, it means too much to me. I really think we should look into marriage counseling."

Will looked away in frustration. "Urgh, babe..."

"What? Seriously, what do we have to lose? Trudy and Mouch went through a rough patch, too, and look at how solid they are. We can keep it to ourselves, nobody has to know. I don't think there's anything to lose with giving it a try."

He heavily sighed. As embarrassing as it was, maybe this could be beneficial. This was a marriage that could be saved, he had to believe in that. Will wrapped his arms tightly around Lola, pulling her in to his chest.

"Alright, let's have a session before I go to Texas."

**_HOURS LATER_ **

Will burst through the doors of his father's cigar parlor, a separate cottage on the fifty acres of his house and by the golf course. The nervousness he felt on the ride over had subsided into anger.

Kirkland Halstead looked over and smiled at his oldest son. "Will! What a nice surprise? Care to join us for a fine Cuban?"

He wasn't alone. Hank Voight, Benny Severide, Christopher Hermann, Wallace Boden, Randall "Mouch" McHolland, the whole gang was there, relaxing in expensive leather chairs, smoking their stogies and drinking rich Remy Martins.

Will shook his head, crossing his arms. "No, thanks. Dad, I need to speak with you privately."

Kirkland laughed heartily, taking a long puff. "Ha, whatever you have to say to me, you can say it in front of my friends. They're like second fathers to you, William."

"It's about Lola, Dad."

"Oh, fine." Kirkland balanced his cigar on the ashtray and walked over. "What is it?"

"What's this I'm hearing that you told her she needed to be taught some new tricks in bed to satisfy me? Where the hell do you get off talking to her like that? She's my wife!"

All his dad did was laugh. "Yeah, I said it. So what? I only offered to do you a favor. I didn't think she'd actually tell you."

"Where do you get off talking to her like that? I demand an apology."

He knew this wasn't going to be easy, but Lola was right. She was Will's wife and it was his job to protect and defend her when necessary. The fact that his father was being a stubborn ass didn't help at all.

"I will do nothing of the sort, you're wasting my time and I don't need this. I'll see you at the track tomorrow." Kirkland attempted to leave, only for Will to grab him by the shoulder and force him in the spot he was in.

"It's not a waste of time! This is my family and you're not going to pull this kind of bullshit with me. Have some respect, I'm your son, damnit."

"As far as I'm concerned, you're already a screw up, Will. Yes, you've made me proud with all your wins and endorsements, but not enough. It doesn't matter if you have a son now, because Jay has two that have now had more experience and time to train."

Will inwardly cringed, his ego taking the grunt of the blow. "That's not true."

"Yes, it is, and we all know it. I'm just surprised at how foolish you are. With a little slice of heaven pie like that, you gotta be deaf, dumb and blind to not think that everybody's gonna want a taste."

It was his father's perverse comment that pushed Will to the brink, and he was unable to stop his fist from connecting to Kirkland's face. The impact sent him to the floor and the gentleman's club rising from their seats, staring at him in disbelief.

"Will, what's the matter with you?" Benny asked.

"I'm sure whatever is going on it can be resolved." Hank stepped forward, trying to be the peacemaker.

Will got down to his father's level. "Say anything like that to her again and my fist to your face will seem like a dream to the rest of the damage I'll do to you, old man."

 

Lola paced back and forth in the foyer, waiting for Will to come home. She had begged him not to bring this up with Kirkland, but he insisted. Now, two hours later, Will still wasn't home and Lola was exceedingly worried. What if something terrible happened?

Her heart stopped when she heard the garage car door open, knowing he was back. She ran into the garage to find Will stepping out of his Ferrari and closing the garage door, her mouth flying open in shock when she got a good look at him.

"Oh, my god! Will, what happened?!"

His hair was a mess, he had a black eye, a bruised jaw and busted lip. "It's not as bad as it looks, Lola."

"Yes, it is! Are you alright? Should we take you to the hospital? What if you need stitches?" Lola grabbed his hand to get a better look at his face, her hand on his unbruised cheek. "If I knew this was going to happen, I would have tried harder in making sure you didn't go over there."

"I don't need to go to the hospital, but my point is further proven. My father is an asshole. He wouldn't apologize, I punched him and he tackled me. Wallace Boden had to break us up, that was after Dad sent Hermann flying across the floor." He looked at her solemnly. "I'm sorry he put you through this."

Lola wanted to cry, it seemed like Will finally got it, but at what cost? "I'm so sorry, baby. I never should have told you, I should have taken care of this myself." She wrapped her arms around him in a hug, which he reciprocated.

"Don't apologize, my love. I'd punch a thousand guys for you." Will pulled back and gave his wife a deep kiss. "Next time something like this happens, which I hope it doesn't, please don't wait to tell me."

"Of course I will. Come on," she grabbed his hand. "let's go put something cold on your face."

"Ok."

They had just walked into the laundry room when they heard Paisley from the kitchen.

"Mommy! Mommy! The popcorn is ready and I put it in all by my-"

They looked to see Paisley skipping in out of the kitchen, only for her to trip over her slippers, the huge bowl she was holding went up in the air and landed on her head, sending popped kernels flying all over the marble floor.

Will and Lola looked at each other, trying not to laugh as they walked over and bent down to their daughter.

"Uh-oh." She squeaked.

"Boo boo, what are you doing carrying something that's bigger than you?" Will asked, lifting the bowl off her head.

"I wanted to surprise Mommy, we're watching home movies. Daddy, why is your face like that?" Paisley reached her little hand and put it on his face, a look of sadness in her eyes.

"I had a run-in with the Green Goblin, but don't worry, Daddy's fine. Home movies, huh?"

She nodded. "Yep, from when I walked and talked and our trip to Disneyland and Hawaii with Uncle Jay and Aunt Erin."

"That sounds like a fun time. Why don't we clean the mess up and make some more popcorn, then we'll all watch them, ok?"

The little girl lit up. "Ok, Daddy!" She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a big kiss on the cheek. "I love you so much, I hate how you have to work so hard all the time."

"I love you, too, baby girl."

Lola smiled down at them. Minutes later, they were all on the couch, Will holding a steak to his eye while Lola and Paisley were in his lap, they had a cozy afternoon with their family home movies. Watching the videos of Paisley saying their names and running to them, various pictures with Will and their trip to Hawaii last year with Jay, Erin and the boys, Lola had a realization.

Maybe Will had been there more times than she thought, he was there for the moments that mattered. Perhaps everything was in her head, but why was she feeling like this? Why did he take every opportunity he could get regardless of the success he had already accumulated? Either way, Will said he wanted to work on the marriage, Lola hoped they could save it.

Will was happy, he loved his wife and daughter so much, but his mind wandered, wandered to what it could have been, what life would have been like if Owen was his son.


	8. Planning Ahead

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hank informs Jay and Erin of the fight between Will and Kirkland; Things for Will and Lola seem to be in a calm place; The next day, Lola confides in Erin about Natalie's antics and the WAGS convince Lola to ponder an important opportunity for herself despite what Will's objections would be.

**Hi, everybody! Finally updating! SORRY I took so long, I've been sick and swamped with every day things. Thank you so much to all those that reviewed and followed: DCTNFG, fallingforfiction, FirePDMed, Headwalkerz, HermoineandMarcus, NALEY23alwaysforever, Natascha2Tata, Lilli89, Ms. Isabella and TheIrishShipperholic! Be sure to check out their stories, they are quite awesome!**

**I'm behind on _SVU_ and _PD,_ but my social life decided to unexpectedly take off! Hahaha I owe Ms. Isabella for Heidi and Taylor, Ethan and Joe's girlfriends, respectively, not to mention Connor's wife Cassie! :) I'm hoping to go back to my regular weekly updates by next week!**

**_Chapter Eight: Planning Ahead_ **

Erin was cooking dinner when "Highway to Hell" by AC/DC started playing from her phone. Looking down, she smiled at the caller ID picture and answered. "How's it going, Pop?"

"Hey, Er. Can't complain. What are you up to?"

She put the phone on speaker, continuing to stir the pot of meat sauce. "Not much, just making my famous lasagna. Which reminds me, we're long overdue for dinner one of these nights. You can't live on fast food forever, Hank."

He chuckled. "It's not all fast food, but you're right. After Toyota 400 at Richmond things should clear up. Do you know where Jay is by any chance?"

"Yeah, he's playing _Star Wars_ with the boys." Erin looked out the bay window by the sink, seeing Jay running around in the backyard with Ryder and Tripp. The three of them were laughing their heads off, fighting each other with actual prop light sabers from the franchise, which were soon tossed to the grass as Jay picked them up and swung them around.

It made her smile, the sight of her three boys. Soon enough little Mackenzie would be here, she was already anxious to join her older brothers by the kick Erin just felt in her stomach. She smiled, her free hand softly rubbing her growing belly.

"Sounds like fun, do you think you could pull him away for a second? I tried calling him but he didn't answer."

"Sure, no problem." Erin heard the urgency in his voice as she opened the backyard door. "Jay, Hank is calling for you!"

"I'll be there in a second!"

"Boys, I want you to wash up for dinner."

"Ok."

Erin patted them on the back as Jay followed behind them.

"Did he say what it was about?"

She shook her head. "No, but he sounds kind of restless. Maybe something happened with Justin?"

Justin Voight was the cause of more than one migraine suffered by Hank, even Kirkland and Benny. Being a notorious party boy, he dabbled in over drinking, drugs, and sex with underage girls. Two fifteen year old girls that lied about their age videotaped a threesome and threatened to leak it if they weren't paid off. Justin also had more than one D.U.I., avoiding jail time with each charge, but he had been suspended by NASCAR twice and dropped by his highly renowned Budweiser sponsor, only to be picked up by the less popular Beck's beer. Will, Jay and Kelly were in this sport for the long run, but Justin was just along for the fame ride.

Jay shrugged, taking her phone. "Maybe." He put the phone to his ear. "Hey, Hank, what's going on? (Pause) No, I haven't talked to either one of them since last night. Why? (Pause) What? You've got to be kidding me. (Pause) Well, that's the famous Kirkland Halstead temper for ya, but I never thought he'd stoop this low. (Pause) Thanks for calling, I better check in on my brother. Take care."

"What was it about?" Erin asked as Jay handed her cell phone back, an exasperated look on his face.

"My father and brother got into a fist fight over Lola. Apparently Dad made a pass at her and Will lost it."

The color from Erin's face drained rapidly. "I was worried about something like this happening, I didn't think he'd actually find out let alone go through with it."

Jay gave her a questioning look. "What are you talking about?"

She swallowed the lump in her throat, knowing she had to come clean. "That night we were at your dad's for his birthday dinner, I overheard him making a pass at Lola, something about how it was her responsibility to give Will a son and she needed to be taught new things."

He slammed his hand on the table. "Damnit, Erin!"

"Hey," Erin put one hand on his shoulder and the other on her belly. "I'm sorry."

"How could you keep something like this from me? It's about my own father!"

"I wanted to, but I couldn't. I know that despite everything you and your brother still love and admire your dad. I didn't want to upset you."

Jay heavily sighed, nodding. "I know, I just can't believe this. Lola is already so fragile lately, I'm sure this didn't help anything. Last night she was close to losing her mind, poor girl."

Erin shrugged. "I can't say I blame her. Natalie knew what she was doing showing up, I can only imagine what it is she wanted."

Erin and Will's second wife hadn't gotten along very well when they were related. Natalie had some obvious superiority issues that were not Erin's MO. Out of Will's three wives, Lola was her favorite. While young, she was very sweet, down to earth and had a huge heart, which is why Erin hoped this marriage would actually last.

"I don't know, but I should give him a call."

Jay pulled out his phone and FaceTimed his brother. When the call connected, both he and Erin were shocked to see him with a compress to his eye, one arm wrapped around Lola's waist.

"Hey, guys."

"Holy shit, Will!" Jay's jaw dropped. "Dad did that?!"

Will nudged Paisley. "Say hi to Uncle Jay and Aunt Erin, pumpkin."

The little girl lifted her head up and beamed. "Hi!"

Erin smiled. "Hi, honey."

"How are you, cutie pie?" Jay asked.

"Good, we're watching home movies from Hawaii! I wanna go surfing again so you can lift me up on the surfboard, Uncle Jay!"

"Ha, we will, Paize." Jay turned to his brother. "I just got off the phone with Hank, Will. He told me and Erin what happened with Dad. How are you, Lola?"

Lola sat up, patting Paisley on the shoulder. "Sweet pea, why don't you go play with Cinderella for a bit before Mommy starts dinner?"

"Ok!"

Paisley gave both parents big kisses before sweeping up the little Pomsky and walking out of the room, leaving her parents alone.

"To answer your question, Jay, I'm alright. I was a little rattled, but I'm gonna be ok." She grabbed Will's hand and smiled. "We're gonna be ok."

Will smiled, giving her hand a kiss. "Of course we will, baby."

It seemed like they were being genuine, which had Jay and Erin quite relieved.

"I'm glad to hear that. I hope your face heals by Duck Commander, man."

Will chuckled. "You should see what Dad looks like. He had it coming and he was pissed. Let's hope this taught him a lesson."

"I don't think he'll be doing it any time again, either."

"Erin," Lola spoke up. "don't forget the meeting is tomorrow at 12:30."

"Ok, I'll pick Paisley and Tripp up from preschool on the way."

It was time for the Chicago NASCAR WAGS meeting, which was held twice a month, and spring had just barely started. The wives and girlfriends were the driving force behind outside appearances, whether it be at charity events or conventions, it was all up to them to sway the men. It wasn't always easy, but it was worth it, and it garnered actual respect amongst their peers and the public.

**_THE NEXT DAY_ **

"Alright, everybody's here. We should probably get started." Lola said, putting the finishing touches on a plate of freshly baked mini-desserts. "Did you happen to look over the revised itinerary?"

Erin nodded, picking up a pitcher of iced pink lemonade. "Yes, and everybody has a copy. Lola," She put her hand on her sister-in-law's shoulder. "is everything ok? I mean, I know you said it was last night, but it seemed like something else was bothering you."

Lola heavily sighed and nodded, deciding to at least tell the previous day's events to Erin. "There was, there is." She took the pitcher out of Erin's hands and replaced it with her own hands. "I'm trusting you with this because we're sisters. I know you'll keep my secret."

**_Probably more than my actual sisters would._ **

"Of course. Now, what is it?"

"It's about Natalie and why she was at the banquet. She wants Will to legally adopt her son Owen since his father passed away."

Erin's mouth flew open, not wanting to believe what she had just heard. "No. Lola, please tell me you're kidding."

"I wish I was. I didn't even know until yesterday morning, Will and I had been arguing about her the night before."

"What are you going to do?"

"It's been taken care of. Will was too chicken shit to handle it, I had no choice but to take matters into my own hands. I pretty much set the record straight, I think she understands."

Lola left out the part where she had threatened to kill Natalie if she ever contacted anybody in her family again, she already came across as unstable, why further the speculation?

"Wow, good for you. Honestly, however you reacted was in the right. If one of Jay's exes pulled some shit like that, I'd probably lose my mind."

Even when Will was with Natalie, Erin hadn't particularly cared for her. She was too whiny and high maintenance while Erin was more lax. Will belonged with Lola, she was great for him, but if he didn't pull his head out of his ass, they all knew he'd lose her.

"Again, this has to stay between us. I think it's best not to include the other WAGS."

Erin nodded. "Absolutely, you have my word, Lola. I'm really glad you came to me with this."

Lola smiled at her. "As am I." She really wasn't as lonely as she thought, and that made things a bit brighter for her. "Come on, let's get this meeting started."

"Alright, ladies. Refreshments are served, let's get started." Erin said with a smile as she and Lola walked into the dining room through the kitchen with the lemonade and goodies.

Donna Boden, Trudy McHolland and Cindy Hermann were the older WAGS of the group, being the wives of Team 51's owners and crew chief, respectively. Then there were the driver's wives, consisting of Lola, Erin and Justin's wife, Olive. It was astonishing that a serial cheater like Justin could make his marriage last, but the other girls chalked it up to Olive being very naive and in denial over her husband's infidelities.

The group was lucky enough to have some actual drivers as members, like Matt Casey's wife Gabby Dawson-Casey and Adam Ruzek's fiancé Kim Burgess. Lastly, there were the girlfriends. Heidi was the girlfriend of Ethan Choi, Taylor the girlfriend of Joe Cruz, Chili was Jimmy Borelli's girlfriend and for the past year April and Kelly Severide had been going strong. Lola liked having her former cheerleaders by her side, since they were also amongst her closest friends.

Doris Borelli and Rebecca Jones-Borelli, wives of Danny and Steven, never attended the meetings. Unlike their husbands who held a mutual respect for the other teams despite rivalries, they were firm believers that anybody else but them was the enemy.

Lola felt bad that she hadn't mentioned anything to Cassie, she was technically a WAG now. Lola had been so frazzled by Natalie's appearance that she hadn't even gotten Cassie's number, but she remembered about how nobody in the NASCAR world knew that they had gotten married, so perhaps now wasn't the time to bring her into the circle. She had Connor's address in her day runner from a barbecue he had during one of the rare times he and Will were on friendly terms, Lola already planned to send Cassie flowers.

"Ok, so we're going to be hosting a banquet and party before and after the September Chicagoland Race. It's two months before the final race, we're expected to do it up right. Is there any objection to doing it at the Waldorf Astoria again?"

Trudy shook her head. "Not at all. You did a fantastic job with Kirkland's award ceremony, Lola. We wouldn't expect anything less than perfection from you."

Lola smiled at the older woman. "Thank you, I appreciate it. I won't let you down."

"Next is the entrance songs for the All-Star Race in May. Are we good with what we have so far?" Lola asked.

They all shook their heads as Lola checked off on her iPad.

"Ok, perfect, moving on."

"Dallas Patterson from _Maxim_ keeps calling, their annual Babes of NASCAR issue is slated for the fall and they want one of Chicago's finest to grace their pages amongst the others. Jack Nesbitt is going to be photographing."

"Who did it last year?" Olive asked.

"Me." Erin raised her finger up. "I obviously can't this year, unless it's the pregnant WAGS." She said with a chuckle.

"I second that." Gabby patted her swollen pregnant belly.

Erin glanced over at Lola, who looked so lovely in her quietness. No wonder Natalie was jealous, the girl was beautiful, that's for sure.

"Would anybody have any objections to Lola doing it?"

Lola looked up from her iPad in shock. "Huh? Who? Me?"

"I think she'd be perfect." Donna said, to which Cindy agreed.

"Every time I see that La Perle pinup in your entryway, I'm blown away."

She was referring to Lola's brief modeling period. Lola had done a Vargas pinup girl photoshoot for Will's twenty ninth birthday, which her agent thought would be a good idea to send out to multiple lingerie companies. A week later, she got the call from La Perle for their summer ad campaign, which included a massive billboard in Time Square. Will was so proud that he insisted on a huge blown up picture in their foyer so he could always show off his "perfect ten trophy wife". Sometimes Lola wondered if that's all he saw her as.

"I couldn't. What about April?" Lola nudged her friend. "You're a knock out!"

"Like you aren't!" The Brazilian beauty said with a laugh. "I think it would be great for you, Lola."

"Imagine what you'll be wearing." Taylor said.

Chili nodded with a huge smile. "Yeah, I can totally see it. Girl, you've got a rocking body."

Lola laughed nervously and looked down. "Oh, I couldn't. Will wouldn't like that."

In fact, Will would go ballistic. She couldn't help but think of the time that Justin Bieber showed up at one of the basketball games. She and Will had been dating for a couple months and he had attended every single game since the season opener. The Canadian teen heartthrob sat next to her NASCAR beau court side, along with Matt, Antonio and Usher, the latter came along with 'The Biebs'. Usher and his young protégé had been openly admiring the cheerleaders all evening, Lola in particular.

When they offered her, Chili and April spots in Justin's upcoming music video, Lola was thrilled. She had done a couple music videos before and enjoyed the experience. At first, Will didn't say much, it wasn't until the day before the shoot that he forbade her to do it, forcing Lola to decide between her career and their relationship. He said that he didn't want her to be demoralized by parading around half naked and grinding up on the pop idol.

After they got engaged, Will had wanted her to leave the Luvabulls and give up modeling altogether, but Lola compromised, saying she would quit as soon as they got pregnant. Now that Paisley was in preschool, the thought had crossed her mind to get back into modeling, but something small, definitely not Maxim. Will most certainly wouldn't allow it.

"You gotta live for yourself once in a while. When was the last time you did something for strictly Lola?" Kim asked.

Kim was usually pretty quiet, so when she spoke up, it was surprising.

"Kim and Erin are right. I'm all for it." Heidi said, the rest of the WAGS agreeing amongst themselves.

Lola heavily sighed, knowing they were right. "When do they need an answer by?"

"June." Erin replied.

"I'll think about it." This would require a very long thought process, and Lola wasn't so sure she wanted Will to be involved. Could she get away with it? "Now, when are the rest of the guys free? There's at least three Make a Wish kids that want to meet them all."


	9. Ignite The Fight Inside

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Halstead-Voight, Team 51, Velocita Motorsports and Gaffney Group all head to Bristol, Tennessee for the Food City 500 race; Hank gives Lola a helpful suggestion; Will and Jay are none too pleased with Lola and Erin's newfound friendship with Cassie Rhodes

**Hi, everybody! Finally updating! SORRY I took so long, it's a family disaster again but I'm trying to make the best of it. Thank you so much to all those that reviewed and followed: DCTNFG, fallingforfiction, FirePDMed, Headwalkerz, HermoineandMarcus, NALEY23alwaysforever, Natascha2Tata, Lilli89, Ms. Isabella and TheIrishShipperholic! Be sure to check out their stories, they are quite awesome!**

**I'm behind on _SVU_ and _PD,_ but my social life decided to unexpectedly take off! Hahaha Cassie from Ms. Isabella's story is back again! Enjoy!**

**_Chapter Nine: Ignite The Fight Inside_ **

**_Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol, Tennessee, Sunday, April 17th_ **

"Boys, wish your dad-" Erin was cut off by Ryder and Tripp zooming ahead of her to get to Jay. Whenever the whole family was at a race, the boys hyperactivity was equivalent to what one would get from a sugar rush. Regardless of their excitement, they were always well behaved.

Today was the Food City 500 race in Bristol, Tennessee. The Duck Commander 500 had gone very well in Halstead-Voight's favor, with Jay winning the race and Will coming in second. Velocita wasn't as lucky, Jimmy finished in eleventh and Connor in fourteenth. At this point, Kirkland was sure that Giuseppe was crapping in Cheerios know that the possibility of Will or Jay winning the Sprint Cup could in fact be a reality.

"You're gonna burn rubber and make them eat dust, Dad!" Ryder said, both he and his brother hugging the life out of their father.

"Yeah! Kick ass, Daddy!"

Erin frowned. "Tripp Hankson! Language!"

Jay smirked to himself. "Your mom is right, boys. I'll see you at the finish line. Now let me have some time alone with your mom."

Tripp scrunched his face up. "Ewww, they're gonna kiss!" He and Ryder started making gagging sounds.

"That's enough, boys. Do what your father says." Erin tried to be stern but couldn't help but laugh.

"Fine, fine. Come on, Tripp. Let's go hang out with Brady and Lee Henry." Ryder grabbed his little brother's hand and led him away.

"Those two are so much like me and Will at their ages, it's crazy."

"And just as cute." Erin said, one hand on her belly.

Jay smiled, putting his hand on top of her's. "She'll be adding to the cuteness clan alright." He leaned in, giving her a sweet kiss and a hug. "I love you, Er. I can't wait to see your smile at the finish line."

While Jay loved to win, he didn't put as much importance in it as his father and brother. Ever since Tripp was born, he hadn't been as motivated. Perhaps it was time to retire...

 

"Paize, go give Uncle Jay and Daddy big kisses for good luck." Lola patted her daughter's shoulder, prompting her to move forward.

"Ok!" Paisley sprinted ahead to her father and uncle.

Will usually never wanted Lola and Paisley at his races, she saw the WAGS regularly and the track was no place for a little girl, but Paisley needed more interaction with her father. She was glad that the team owners insisted all the wives and kids be there, which was only required at the first and last races, whomever qualified in the latter.

Paisley hugged Will's legs after Jay. "Good luck, Daddy! I love you."

"I love you, too, PJ." Will swept their daughter up in his arms, Paisley taking his face in her hands and gave her dad a big kiss, a truly picture perfect moment. Even though he so desperately wanted a son, there was never any denying that she was her father's little princess.

Paisley looked over and shrieked. "EEEE! Cooper! Cooper!" She squirmed out of Will's embrace and ran over, jumping in Cooper's arms, the older boy hugging her tightly.

Lola couldn't help but laugh. "Her first little crush. It's pretty adorable." She turned to Will, who was actually smiled.

"Yeah, if only it were like this forever. I am not looking forward to her being a teenager."

"It'll be fine." She put one hand on his shoulder and the other on his face. "You'll rock the track today. I know it, Will. You've been working so hard."

Even if it means you disregarding everything else.

"Yeah, I know. Believe it or not, my mind is a mess. There's a lot of pressure on me, Lolo. The race, us, my head is all over the place."

Since having it out with Kirkland, things had been surprisingly calm for Will and Lola, but they had yet to see the famous Dr. Charles. At this point, maybe they didn't need to.

Lola nodded. "I understand. It's not easy, but hopefully you'll be able to tune the voices out and just drive."

"So do I. Hey, how about a kiss for good luck?" Will grinned sheepishly, making Lola blush just a bit. His boyish charms were still irresistible to her.

"Duh! Of course I will. How you race without them is a mystery to me."

She leaned in close to him, but what started out as a tender lip lock quickly turned aggressive. Will's tongue was nearly down her throat, making her squeal in his mouth, surprised. Lola attempted to push him off but his fingernails were digging into her hips. The hoots and whistles from the other drivers was enough for her to muster her strength and push him off.

"Will! What the hell is the matter with you?"

Will laughed, licking his lips, savoring the taste of her strawberry gloss. "What? I wanted to show off my girl. Look at you, you're so hot." He reached around and smacked her ass. Knowing that all eyes were on her, she was completely mortified.

"Not here!" Lola hissed and stormed off, knowing she had to get away before she smacked him.

Will watched her, still smirking. "Oh, come on, baby! You're breaking my heart over here! But not really because I get to watch that sweet ass walk away!"

"Is she ok?" Jay asked Erin as they watched Lola rifle through her purse and disappear.

"I don't know, but does that brother of your's always have to be such an asshole?"

Jay sighed, shaking his head. "I'll talk to him, for her sake, at least."

 

Lola wiped her nose and wiggled it, feeling the effects of the two Wellbutrin pills. Dr. Tramble said there was no harm in doubling the dosage, so why not? She needed it at this point, having to deal with her husband. Why was Will such a jerk? How would him showing off like that gain any adulation? Quite frankly, he looked like an ass and she didn't want any part of it.

Taking three deep breaths, Lola emerged from the bathroom, nearly crashing into Hank.

"Lola." He rasped out.

"Oh, Hank. Sorry, I didn't mean to crash into you."

"Hun, is everything ok? Your nose is bleeding." He pointed at her nose as she felt the blood slowly dripping.

"Oh, no!" Lola dug into her pocket for the tissue she had wiped her tears with. "It's the wind, my allergies act up."

Hank nodded, worried there was something else behind it but didn't want to further upset her. "I understand, Camille had horrible allergies. Are you alright? You seem pretty frazzled."

Lola so desperately wanted to confide in Hank, knowing she could trust him, but still had her guard up. "What can I say? You know how Will is, we all do. He doesn't see the real world past his glass menagerie."

"Stubborn as an ox that one, it's probably why he's so invincible and indispensable to NASCAR, it's everywhere else he's not paying attention."

"You can say that again. What am I supposed to do? What am I supposed to tell our daughter? I was touched that he actually defended my honor to his dad, but he keeps making promises and not fulfilling them. One step forward and twenty back."

"This lifestyle isn't easy, you're handling it the best you can. I know about what happened with Kirkland, we all know he can be an ass. He's one of my oldest friends, but what he did was unacceptable. I've never seen Will that angry, and I'm thinking he must really love you to have such a furious reaction. Will and Jay are pretty much second sons to me, I consider you and Erin like the daughters I never had."

"Thank you, Hank. Will really looks up to you like a second father and I'm very grateful you're in our lives."

He put up a tough façade, but deep down Hank Voight was one of the most compassionate people Lola had ever met. In a way, she considered him a second father, also.

"Me too. Here," Hank pulled out his wallet, followed by a business card. "If you're ever having doubts or suspicions, this is the step to take. I've done it before with Justin's meandering and antics, it works wonders on helping somebody face the music and get their shit together."

Lola looked down at the business card and nodded. "Thank you, Hank. It's certainly something I'll think over." His suggestion may have been a bit extreme, but it may have been necessary.

 

"Hey, Lolee, are you ok?" Erin asked as soon as Lola walked into the box suite for the WAGS, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I wasn't expecting that and overreacted is all. Will's always been very grabby."

This was true, especially in the first year of their relationship, they couldn't keep their hands off of each other, him more than her. It was the reason why Lola was constantly paranoid that Will was cheating, her husband had quite the insatiable sex drive.

"Lola? Is that you?"

Lola and Erin turned around to see a woman with dark curly hair in a ponytail and jeans walking into the suite, making Lola smile.

"Cassie! Hi!"

She wrapped her arms around the newest WAG, hoping to have seen her again soon.

"It's so good to see you again. I forgot to get your number and I was going to send flowers to thank you but-"

Cassie shook her head and patted Lola's hand. "Lola, Lola, honey. Don't you worry about a thing. It was my pleasure to help."

"Well, I appreciate it. Cassie," Lola turned to Erin. "this is my sister-in-law Erin Lindsay Halstead. Erin, this is Cassie Robertson, Connor Rhodes' new girlfriend."

"Hi, Cassie, nice to meet you. Welcome to the Chicago WAGS." Erin smiled, shaking her hand.

"Glad to be a member. Sorry I wasn't here earlier, I was getting in some last minute kisses with my guy."

All the other drivers had made their entrances. Kim to "I Knew You Were Trouble" by Taylor Swift, Matt Casey to "Radioactive" by Imagine Dragons, Kelly Severide to The Heavy's "What Makes A Good Man?", Joe Cruz was "Dead Man's Party" by Oingo Boingo, "Final Countdown" by Europe for Adam Ruzek, Mötley Crüe's "Dr. Feelgood" for Ethan Choi and "Here I Go Again" by Whitesnake for Antonio Dawson, which had been his song since he survived a near death collision on the track.

"Justin Rule The World, #22 for Becks Beer, Justin Voight!"

Justin ran out hooting and shouting as "Nothing But A Good Time" by Poison played. He managed to further make an ass out of himself by licking both the NASCAR girls and signing their boobs before grabbing the microphone out of the emcee's hand.

"Keep the beer on tap, the booties bouncing and the titties popping!"

He dropped the mic, causing a strident ringing sound that made the audience cringe as Justin ran off. They may have been on the other side of the track, but the WAGS all saw Hank bow his head in embarrassment. Lola and Erin exchanged a glance over at Olive, who was too preoccupied with her baby. How was she not humiliated by her jackass husband?

"Tempers will flare and anything can and will happen. There's nothing like the four hottest drivers in the league to turn the heat up in Tennessee! Starting with your five time Sprint Cup Series champion, he knows how to light the track on fire! Big Red II, #7 for Apple, Will Halstead!"

Green Day's "Holiday" blared as Will walked out in his white and blue race suit, high fiving the cheerleaders and waving to the crowd. Lola used to get such a rush watching him, her heart overflowing with pride. Regardless of their marital problems, she was still proud of his success but resented how he was too thick headed to enforce the distinction between the sport and family.

Will smiled as the mic was held up to him. "Winners never quit and quitters never win, if I quit I don't win! Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower, I'll lead this all the way to the end!"

The quote about leaders and followers was from Steve Jobs, and being represented by Apple, Will was required to always quote him. Nevertheless, the crowd loved it.

"The Mockingjay himself, #21 for Verizon, Jay Halstead!"

The Mockingjay appeared on the screen spreading it's golden wings in a blaze of fire, playing it's whistle before leading into "Boulevard of Broken Dreams". Jay walked and waved to the crowd with a bright smile on his face.

"Thanks for coming out tonight. Erin, I love you! Ryder, Tripp and Mackenzie you're my whole world."

Erin beamed, holding her hands to her cheeks. Once upon a time, Will ended his intros like that about Lola, but not anymore. She had wanted him to take Paisley out with him during his entrance, Matt Casey had done it with Carmelle, but Will didn't think Paisley could handle the spotlight being on her, which was translation for "I don't want the spotlight taken off of me".

"This young man has been turning heads and leaving his opponents in the dust for the past year!"

The screen showed a clip of Katniss Everdeen in a burning District 8 from _The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part One_ , angrily addressing President Snow and pointing at the burning ruble.

"Do you see that? Fire is catching, and if we burn, you burn with us!"

"Driver #76 for Penzoil, Jimmy Borelli, The Boy on Fire!"

The movie clip ended as the chorus of "My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light 'Em Up)" by Fall Out Boy played and pyrotechnics lit up in a blaze. Jimmy sheepishly waved, blushing as the girls screamed over him. He was still humble in his whirlwind success, but that didn't mean the Halstead brothers were any less annoyed.

"Are you kidding me right now?" Jay folded his arms across his chest and scoffed. "I'm "The Mockingjay", I have the damn logo on my car, yet they call him "The Boy On Fire"? Un-fucking-real."

Will nodded. "Yeah, who knew Lionsgate were so NASCAR hungry?"

"Last but not least, he's won almost every race this season, melting the tracks as well as hearts across the world. The Heartmelter, #33 for Pepsi, Connor Rhodes!"

The screen showed a brief compilation of Connor's races and Pepsi ad, with his name being repeated in different vocal tones as "Kickstart My Heart" by Mötley Crüe played and multiple cheerleaders came out and danced. Connor emerged when the chorus started, smoke from machines shot up in the air along with raining confetti, Connor waving to the crowd in complete ease, who were going apeshit. Girls ripped off their shirts and flashed their breasts, throwing him bras and panties. Will didn't know whether to laugh or be jealous.

"To all the fans, thanks for coming out all the way to Tennessee to support your favorite drivers!" He flashed his killer pearly white grin as the emcee grabbed the mic.

"So Connor, rumor has it you tied the knot recently. Is that true?"

Connor nodded, still smiling. "Yes, it is. Love you, Cass!"

"Woo-Hoo!" The emcee hollered. "Let's get a look at the new Mrs. Rhodes."

The screen showed a picture of Cassie in the box, waving, Erin and Lola standing next to her.

"What the fuck are our wives doing?! They know better than to mingle with our arch-nemesis!" Will was so annoyed he was tempted to kick his tire, but Jay stopped him.

"Cut it out, it's harmless, I'm sure. Besides, I wonder what Dad is thinking about how Giuseppe shelled out the dough to show off his star athletes."

"Desperado is what I call that, little bro." Will watched Connor and Jimmy being driven over, feeling himself getting into racing mode. He had one goal, and that was to beat them all. Putting on his helmet, he hopped into his race car.

"Let's ride!"


	10. Stand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jay, Erin and Lola discuss the joint party for Tripp and Paisley that will be featured on Real Housewives of Chicago; Lola talks to Will about doing the Babes of Nascar issue for MAXIM, but later reneges on his word; At her wit's end, Lola books a marriage counseling session for her and Will with the famed Dr. Charles.

**Hi, everybody! Finally updating! SORRY I took so long, it's a family disaster again but I'm trying to make the best of it. Thank you so much to all those that reviewed and followed: DCTNFG, HermoineandMarcus, NALEY23alwaysforever, Natascha2Tata, Ms. Isabella and TheIrishShipperholic! Be sure to check out their stories, they are quite awesome! I thought it would be fun to have _Real Housewives of Chicago,_ so if you have any unique taglines please let me know! :)**

**I'm finally back again! Hope you're all doing well. It's been kind of rough for me lately, not going to lie. It seems to be just as rough for Lola, too :/**

**_DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NOR HAVE ANY AFFILIATIONS WITH A DREAM IS A WISH YOUR HEART MAKES. ALL PROPERTIES OWNED BY MACK DAVID AL HOFFMAN AND JERRY LIVINGSTON, RESPECTIVELY. I ONLY OWN MY OWN ORIGINAL IDEAS AND CHARACTERS._ **

**_Chapter Ten: Stand_ **

"I can not wait to get home tomorrow. It's hard to believe that the birthday party is in less than a week." Erin said, getting in the elevator with Jay and Lola whilst holding Tripp. Jay was holding Ryder while Lola had Paisley, all of the children had fallen asleep, having been up later than their bed times.

Lola nodded. "I know. I'm excited that we're keeping up with the joint birthday parties, it's a wonderful tradition and it's really brought Tripp and Paisley closer together."

"It's hard to believe that we're allowing the show to film."

Jay was of course referring to _Real Housewives of Chicago_. He didn't want Erin to do it, considering the successful franchise promotes crazies and bimbos, but she was on board after getting Lola to be on the show with her. Along with Erin, Lola, Tawny Rae and Gabby, they were joined by Stella Kidd, wife of musician Daniel Kidd and Brianna Logan, a divorceé who was opening Chicago's first legal medical marijuana dispensary. Filming had begun near the middle of March, so far things had been going smoothly with the exception of Kirkland's award banquet. Unfortunately, it may just be the calm before the storm.

"The crew won't interfere with anything. Erin and I can guarantee that."

"There's a lot to do, but we'll get it all done. Lolly, are you sure that you don't want us to wait with you guys until Will gets back?" Jay asked as they got off the elevator, but Lola shook her head.

"No, I'm alright. He text me saying he'll be done in forty five minutes. Besides, I'm pretty tired."

"We understand." Erin nodded. "We'll see you bright and early tomorrow, ok?"

"You got it. Sleep well and great job, Jay." Lola leaned in, hugging Erin and Jay the best she could with Paisley in her arms.

"Thanks." He said with a smile.

"Who knows, maybe you'll beat your brother this year."

"Ha, wouldn't that be a sight to see?"

"Although it's not impossible, you've beaten him before." Erin said.

"That's true."

"Sweet dreams, honey." Erin squeezed Lola's shoulder.

"Good night, you two."

"Mommy? What time is it?" Paisley lifted her head from her mother's shoulder as Lola carried her down the hall after seeing Jay, Erin and the boys go into their suite.

"It's after ten, sugar plum. Go back to sleep." Lola shifted Paisley on her hip to lean against the door frame, fishing the hotel room key out of her purse.

Following the race and interviews, all the Chicago drivers, team owners and family decided to have dinner together at the hotel restaurant. The adults drank and laughed while the kids eventually wore themselves out from playing. Will was the only one to be absent, having won the race and was swamped with interviews. He could have finished them up early, but of course he lollygagged, or what he called "networking", which consisted of drinking and schmoozing.

After changing into a pair of pajamas, brushing her teeth and washing her face, Lola carried Paisley to the queen sized bed in the adjoining bedroom of their suite, which was already turned down.

"Mama, when are we going home?" Paisley yawned out, getting into bed.

"Tomorrow. In one more sleep, my love. Which is why I need you to close your eyes and go to Disneyland in your mind." Lola tucked the little girl into bed, giving Paisley her Minnie Mouse stuffed doll. "Then, when you wake up, we'll go on Grandpa Kirkland's plane and we'll be back in Chicago. I'm sure Cinderella misses you dearly."

"I can't wait to see her. Mommy, will you sing to me, please?"

Lola nodded, smiling. "Of course I will."

**_"A dream is a wish your heart makes_ **

**_When you're fast asleep_ **

**_In dreams you will lose your heartaches_ **

**_Whatever you wish for, you keep_ **

**_Have faith in your dreams and someday_ **

**_Your rainbow will come smiling thru_ **

**_No matter how your heart is grieving_ **

**_If you keep on believing_ **

**_The dream that you wish will come true"_ **

"I love you more than anything in the whole wide world, my darling."

Lola smoothed Paisley's bangs to the side, kissing her sleeping little girl's forehead. She was so young and innocent, the last thing Lola wanted was for her daughter to lose that by finding out about the problems between her parents. While the Chicago NASCAR kids were well behaved, the same couldn't be said of those from other cities, they didn't know them. One of them could overhear something and reiterate it incorrectly.

As Lola got ready for bed, her mind began to wander about what was really taking Will so long. Perhaps he had crossed paths with an eager young fan who dragged him off to some dark corner to show him what a star he was. It was in his absences that Lola's subconscious loved to torture her, and what was truly terrifying was the thought of it ever coming true. Luckily, she'd be prepared...

**_1:00 am_ **

Will swiped the card to his hotel room, nearly stumbling in his drunken stupor. It had been a long afternoon and night of interviews whatnot, all in the life of a NASCAR driver, especially a winner.

Once he got inside, Will grinned wickedly at the sight of Lola, soundly sleeping on her side, her lovely face illuminated with the television's reflective bluish white light. He was on top of the world. A beloved racing icon with more money than could ever be spent and a wife that was too hot to handle. Lola's sexual change up a couple of weeks ago was quite the turn on, but he wore the pants, not her.

Stripping himself completely naked, Will threw off the comforter and sheets, turning Lola flat on her back and spreading her legs after removing her panties. She was so damn gorgeous, stunning really, and he was dying to have her.

Lola squirmed in her sleep, not fully opening her eyes until a pair of masculine hands fondled her breasts. The sight of her husband had her in a myriad of feelings, but her mind wasn't allowed to process any of them without answers.

"Will... What time is it?"

"Hey, my sexy woman, I'll tell you what time it is. It's time for you to have the ride of your life. Have I told you how fucking gorgeous you are? Feel what you do to me."

He took her hand in his and guided it to his cock, her fingers wrapping around the rigidiness. There was no denying that he was very well endowed.

"Will, we have to be up in a few hours, I don't think we should. How about tomorrow night? I want to, but I'm just tired."

Will groaned in annoyance. "Come on, beautiful. Remember our wedding night? You promised."

Now Lola was the one who wanted to groan. Stupid, love struck nineteen year old Lola had promised Will that he would be guaranteed sex for every race won... in particular, anal sex. She had never done it before, but he was her husband and she wanted to do that for him. A promise was a promise, and it hurt a little less each time.

"Please, baby." Will took Lola in his arms, kissing her neck and face, begging her. "Let me make love to you, not just fuck you, even though I do." He bit her ear, making her moan as he lifted her nightie above her head. "I wanna fuck you so bad. We'll meet somewhere in the middle, between fucking and love making."

He pushed forward, her gasp upon entry made him smile. As soon as he was all the way inside, there was no going back.

"Mmm, Will..." Her fingernails raked up and down his back before wrapping her arms around his shoulders, trying to get Will to focus on her, who instead began to exchange in a sloppy make out. This wasn't making love or fucking, it was drunk sex, plain and simple.

"How're you liking the warm up? I'm about ready to start the race."

Will flipped his naked wife on all fours, guiding the head of his phallus inside her ring of muscle, making her squirm. Once he was fully sheathed, Will's hands began to massage Lola's back as he pumped away.

"God, I am obsessed with your ass, Lola. I love fucking your little cheerleader ass. It's perfect, I'm so glad you talked me out of wanting to get you butt implants."

"Me, too. Will, there's something I wanted to ask you about."

"Yeah, what's up, baby?" Will palmed her butt, his movements doing anything but stopping.

Right now was probably not the right time to ask him, but Lola figured he'd be the most rational right now. "Ok, you know how _Maxim_ does that Babes of NASCAR issue?"

"Uh huh."

"Well, they need a girl from the Chicago scene to make up the group, the WAGs suggested me, but I said I'd have to discuss it with you first."

"Yes!" Will shouted, increasing his speed. "Babe, I'm close. Fuck! I hope this tight little ass is ready to swallow up my load."

Lola turned around, looking up at him. "Really? You mean it? About the modeling, I mean."

"Of course! It's an amazing idea, babe. I have this slammin' wife, why not show her off to the world? Oh, Jesus Motherfucker!" Will's fingernails dug into her flesh as his cock twitched violently, his love juice spurting inside her.

She beamed, her heart skipping a beat. "Will! Oh, my gosh! I'm so happy right now I can't even believe it."

He panted heavily, catching his breath, his hands still on her back. "Well, believe it, because it's happening."

Lola straightened up and turned around, putting her hands on his shoulders. She was so deliriously happy, he was acknowledging her needs and wanting to support her dreams. Maybe this was the start of something new.

"I love you."

She kissed him passionately, sending him on his back. He returned the kiss with the same heat, his hands on her lower back.

"I love you, too, Lola."

**_TWO DAYS LATER_ **

"Keep running, man, you're on the last minute." Said Kevin Atwater, Will and Jay's personal trainer.

"Hey, they don't call me "Big Red II" for nothing, dude. I've got this." The older Halstead picked up the pace on the treadmill, "Shook Me All Night Long" by AC/DC blasting as he ran.

"Will! Do you have a second?" Lola strolled into their massive mirrored gym, complete with a shower and state of the art equipment.

"Give me a sec, babes. I'm almost done."

"Ok." Lola smiled and waved to Kevin. "Hi, Kevin. How are you?"

"Hey, Lola. I'm pretty good, how are you?" Kevin Atwater was a nice looking African American with short black hair, brown eyes and a pro football player's body.

"I'm good, thanks for asking."

Kevin glanced over at Will. "That's the way to do it, Halstead."

Will nodded as the treadmill came to a halt, grabbing his water bottle and high fiving Kevin. "Oh, you know it. That's how I win them." He looked over at Lola, grabbing the remote and muting his Bose stereo. "What is it, Lolly? Everything ok?"

"Yes, it is. I'm just about to call Dallas Patterson, I wanted you to wish me luck."

"Dallas Patterson, why does that name sound so familiar? I wanna hit 200 today, Kev."

They watched Kevin load the weights on the bench press.

"He's the editor of _Maxim_ magazine, remember we discussed this the other night? They need somebody from Chicago for their Babes of NASCAR issue, the WAGs thought I should do it and you agreed it was a great idea."

Lola felt her dreams and heart shatter as Will snorted in laughter. "When did I say that? No, I didn't."

"Yes, you did!"

He shook his head. "I most certainly did not. Besides, it's not going to happen."

"Why not? Will, you said I could do it."

A part of her was worried all along that he would renege on his word. He was the king of everything, how could he do this?

Will walked forward, backing her against the wall, his hands on either side of her head, dominating her. "No wife of mine is going to pose for some jerk off magazine."

Weakness wanted to take over, he looked so damn good in his tank top and shorts, sweat glistening his muscles. Lola looked up at him, baring her soul by showing her disappointment.

"But the other night in bed, you told me-"

"Wow." Will scoffed. "You're much slicker than I thought, Lola. Manipulating me through sex?" His finger traced up and down her arm, across her chest. "Honey, I can barely remember anything before I come, so why would this time be any different? I love you, but you're in the dog house with me right now."

She swallowed the lump in her throat, hating the fact that her eyes were tearing up. "I didn't mean to, I think I really want to do this though. Please? I'm the only WAG that isn't pursuing anything. Erin has the rehab, Tawny Rae has her makeup line, those are just a few examples, but I have nothing! You won't even let me go back to school."

He shrugged. "You have your associate's, that's an accomplishment, too. I gave you _Real Housewives of Chicago_ , take what you can get."

"You know that I've wanted to get back into modeling again, I was good at it, too."

"Lola, it's what I say goes and the answer is no. When you get an endorsement deal with Apple, then you can make the decisions."

"Will, I-"

"I'd say we can discuss this later, but quite frankly, there's nothing to discuss." Will turned around and got on the bench press. "Let's do this, Kevin. It's crunch time."

Kevin had been staring at his shoes in uncomfortable silence during their conversation, thankful to now be spotting Will as he lifted weights. "Alright, give me four sets of twelve."

Lola tilted her head back as she walked out of the gym and back to their bedroom. Yes, she wanted to cry, but it wasn't going to do a damn thing. Will had to realize that the world doesn't revolve around him, Lola wanted and needed to be more than just his wife and Paisley's mother. It had gotten to the point now that they needed an outsider's help, and if that didn't work, she didn't know what would.

Sending a text to Trudy McHolland, Lola washed her face and calmed down, thankful to have gotten a reply so quickly. Dialing the number, she took a deep breath, praying this last resort wouldn't be an exercise in futility.

"Good afternoon, is this the office of Dr. Charles? Hi, my name is Lola Halstead and I'd like to schedule an appointment for marriage counseling."


	11. Birthday Highs and Lows, Part One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lola flashes back on Paisley's birth, a happier time for her and Will; Will and Lola surprise Paisley with her birthday presents before the joint party with Tripp; Lola's family attempts to cash in on Will's success; A surprise guest has Lola delighted and Will infuriated.

**Hi, everybody! Finally updating! SORRY I took so long, this time it was due to writer's block. Thank you so much to all those that reviewed and followed: DCTNFG, HermoineandMarcus, NALEY23alwaysforever, Natascha2Tata, M39151, Ms. Isabella and TheIrishShipperholic! Be sure to check out their stories, they are quite awesome! I thought it would be fun to have _Real Housewives of Chicago,_ so if you have any unique taglines please let me know! :)**

**I'm finally back again! Hope you're all doing well. It's been kind of rough for me lately, not going to lie. It seems to be just as rough for Lola, too :/ Lola's older sister was originally named Jessica, but I changed it to Samantha as not to confuse her with Chili, who is named Jessica. I'll be posting a list of actors on my profile that I have in mind for my OC's, but here's a couple for now. Harry Hamlin and Andie MacDowell are Lola's parents Dudley and Evangeline while Michelle Monaghan and Alyssa Milano are her older sisters Samantha and Tamara (Pronounced Tam-ra). I didn't think of Harry Hamlin for Kirkland until AFTER I wrote his parts out (it was between Richard Gere and Jack Nicholson), he would have been perfect considering his part as Amanda Rollins' former boss on _Law and Order: Special Victims Unit,_ but I ultimately decided to go with Richard Gere, I could see him playing this part. Kathleen Robertson is Tawny Rae, Anny Bakhierva is Paisley, and I'm Lola AND Snow (the latter will be crossing over into this story next chapter). I know it may seem a bit conceited, but they're only physically based off me, I don't have breast implants lol but I'm well endowed :P.**

**Please enjoy, review and spread the word!**

**_Chapter Eleven: Birthday Highs and Lows, Part One_ **

**_FOUR YEARS AGO_ **

_Lola let out an agonizing scream, her face in a sheen of sweat, grabbing onto the bars of the hospital bed. She had lost count of how long she had actually been in labor for, she'd have to ask Will later, but it felt like an eternity. Now she knew what her sisters and Erin had gone through, having done this a total of nine times._

_"You're almost there, Lola! I can see the head! Push!"_

_She frantically shook her head. "No, this isn't working! More drugs!"_

_"We can't give you anymore drugs, Mrs. Halstead, you're halfway through this." The nurse said._

_"Babe, don't panic. You're so close, but you gotta keep pushing!" Will wiped the perspiration off her, clad in scrubs. "Don't you want to meet our baby?"_

_"Shut up, shut up, shut up! There's not a human head about to come out of your nether regions, you stupid ass!" Lola began to sob. "Will, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean any of that. I love you more than anything."_

_"I love you, too, Lolly. Come on, you can do this! One more big push!"_

_Lola gripped Will's hand so hard it nearly brought him to his knees as she let out a scream. Shrill crying filled the room following that final push._

_"It's a girl!" The doctor said, holding up the squirming baby. "Do you want to cut the umbilical cord, Dad?"_

_Will nodded with a smile. "Absolutely."_

_As he made his way over to the table where the baby was being cleaned off, Lola tried to get a good look, but the over exertion had wracked her entire mind, body and soul._

**_Maybe if I just close my eyes for a second..._ **

 

_Lola awoke to be back in her private hospital room, which was placed with floral arrangements, balloons and stuffed animals in an array of colors. She looked up to see Will on the bed with his arms wrapped around her._

_"Will?"_

_He smiled down at her, having been waiting for her to wake up. "Hi there. How'd you sleep?"_

_"Fine. God, I can't believe this actually happened and that it took almost a year. For as tedious as it felt, it also flew by, huh?"_

_"In a way, but I'm so proud of you. We did it, hon." Will kissed her cheek as Lola nestled into his touch._

_"I feel a lot lighter, too. Have you seen her yet? I don't even think I got a glimpse before passing out."_

_"Only when I cut the umbilical cord and again in the nursery, but she's perfect. Six pounds, eight ounces, and she wasn't bloody at all. She should be up here any minute now."_

_"I can't wait to see her. Who's out there?"_

_"Pfft, everybody. Jay, Erin, Ryder, my dad, Tawny Rae, your parents, your sisters, Hank, Justin, Kelly. It's more like who isn't out there."_

_A knock at the door interrupted them._

_"Come in." Will said._

_"Mr. and Mrs. Halstead, I have your baby girl." The nurse said as she brought in a swaddled pink bundle. Lola beamed as she held her arms out, where her newborn was placed._

_"Thank you."_

_The baby was sleeping soundly with a smile on her face. From what Lola could see underneath her pink beanie, her hair color was a cross between her's and Will's._

_"And that's not gas, her smile. Have we decided on a name yet?" The nurse asked._

_"Paisley Jacqueline Halstead." Lola answered before Will could speak, looking up at him. "After your mother."_

_She felt that it was her duty to commemorate her late mother-in-law somehow. Even though they had never met, Will had adored her dearly. On their honeymoon, they had stayed in the Paisley Islet in Australia off the coast of Kangaroo Island, and she had fallen in love with the name._

_Will nodded, tears in his eyes. "It's perfect."_

_"You can start bringing family members in if you'd like."_

_He shook his head. "Not just yet. Maybe in about ten minutes if that's alright."_

_"Take all the time you want."_

_Will snuggled up to Lola as soon as the nurse left, looking down on Paisley as she opened her eyes. "Hey, pretty girl."_

_When Lola first became pregnant, she and Will knew that their lives had changed forever, but seeing their daughter for the first time was an entirely different story. He was no longer just a lothario athlete and she was no longer the feisty cheerleader, they were now parents to a precious bundle of joy._

_Paisley blinked a couple of times, slowly stretching her arms out of the blanket, spreading her tiny fingers, looking at Will and Lola._

_"She's so beautiful. Just like you, babe."_

_Lola glanced at her husband, tears in her eyes. "Will, I know you wanted a boy, and I'm-"_

_Will shook his head. "No, you have nothing to apologize for. I know we'll have more than one child, and right now it's the furthest thing on my mind. I couldn't be happier than I am right now at this moment."_

_He leaned down, giving Paisley a kiss on the forehead, taking her little hand in his big one as he kissed his wife. "I love you so much, both of you. My two girls."_

_Lola watched Will interacting with Paisley, and nothing else mattered but the new family she had right now. Hopefully things would continue to be so blissful..._

 

"I think I hear her waking up." Lola said, her ear pressed against Paisley's bedroom door. "I still can't believe what you got her. Are you sure that thing is even legal?"

Will nodded. "Yes, it's perfectly legal, I heard that something like forty percent of Americans have them for pets."

"Alright, I'm taking your word for it."

Lola was about to open Paisley's door when Will took her by the shoulders. "Hey."

"What's up?"

"Don't forget that this is your day also, and I've got a little surprise for you." He smiled down at her.

"Ooo, what is it?" She asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"You'll have to wait and find out." Will leaned in and kissed his wife, wrapping his arms around her. "Thank you so much for giving me the greatest gift a man could ever want, being a father."

What was sad was that Lola didn't know how sincere that statement was. "I know, and thank you for giving me that same gift by being a mother."

"It won't be the last time, either. Although, I'm getting concerned about your ovulation. When was the last time you had your period? Maybe we should get your fertility checked, we might have to check into IVF."

"Mmhmm, we'll discuss it later."

Right now was really not the right time to discuss this, it was all about Paisley today.

Lola took Will by the hand as she opened the door, seeing their daughter slowly open her eyes.

"Good morning, sweet pea. Rise and shine."

"Mommy? Daddy?"

Paisley sat up in her bed as her parents walked in.

"Did you forget today was your birthday, silly girl?" Will asked, he and Lola sitting on the edge of the bed.

She shook her head. "No. It's my birthday party with Tripp, too! I'm so excited!" Paisley smiled with a yawn, rubbing sleep from her eyes.

"So are we, cutie pie. Daddy and I have a little surprise for you before the party." Lola turned to Will. "Ready?"

"Uh huh."

Will put the box that he was carrying in Paisley's lap, Cinderella sniffing at it. Lola took the dog and held her as they watched Paisley unwrap the bow. Their little girl gasped as the lid popped off and a beige kitten with black spots and stripes meowed, it's little paws dangling over the sides of the box.

"A kitty!" Paisley squealed, taking the kitten out of the box. "It looks just like a leopard!"

"It's a Bengal kitten, all the way from the United Kingdom." Will said. "What are you going to name him?"

"Mowgli!" Paisley beamed. "Just like in _The Jungle Book_."

"Good name, I like it."

"But what's this on Mowgli's collar?" Lola asked, turning around the kitten's diamond collar until the robin egg shell blue Tiffany box was in the front.

"Another present!"

Will and Lola watched Paisley carefully untie and set the white ribbon down before opening the box and pulling out the necklace. It was a beautiful heart shaped diamond and pink sapphire pendant on a sterling silver chain. The diamonds were for Paisley's birthstone and the sapphires represented her favorite color.

"Wow! It's so pretty! Will you put it on me, Mommy? Please?"

"Of course, PJ." Lola undid the necklace as Paisley lifted her hair up. "Mommy picked this out especially for you. They're your first diamonds."

The little girl looked down at the dazzling pendant. "I'll be extra careful, I promise. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Mommy and Daddy! I love you so much." She reached up, giving her parents big hugs and kisses.

"We love you, too. You're our little angel, Paize." Will said.

"Psst, Will, Lola."

They looked over to see one of the producers and cameramen from _Real Housewives of Chicago_ sticking their head in the door.

"What's up, guys?" Lola asked.

"We need to reshoot this."

Lola was about to speak when Will cut her off. "Sure, not a problem." He turned to look at her. "What? It'll be an "Awww" moment."

She shrugged. "Yeah, you're probably right."

Lola had sold her soul willingly, and as of now filming had been easy, she just hoped that they wouldn't pressure her to start a fight or something.

 

"Mom! Dad! Hi!" Lola grabbed Will by the hand as soon as she saw her parents.

The party was at Kirkland's house in his massive backyard. The theme was _Cars_ and Disney Princesses, with vintage cars on display and actresses in costume to pose and play with the kids, a race car driving simulator, interactive castles and bouncy houses, Kirkland had even sprung for an elephant and camel. Most of the kids were playing in the pool or the castles while the adults ate and drank merrily, it was a gorgeous sunny spring day in Chicago.

"Hi, darling." Lola's father Dudley gave her a kiss on the cheek and shook Will's hand. "Will, it's been a while since we've seen you at the club. Golfing hasn't been the same."

Her father had been considered by many to be handsome with his broad features and strapping physique. Dudley had originally been a promising football player in Atlanta with a full ride scholarship to Georgetown, but a hamstring injury ended his dreams, which is how he decided to pursue a career in law.

"Yes, it has. I've been preoccupied with other things if you get what I mean."

The men laughed. "Oh, believe me I do. Maybe you'll luck out and get the boy I never had. Lola was actually supposed to be Linus."

Will bit his lip. "Linus?! That's hilarious! I'm glad she's not, though. My life wouldn't be the same without my Lolly."

"Daddy, stop. Not now." Lola bowed her head down. Will's burning desire for a boy wasn't the first she had endured. Dudley had tried everything to turn his three princesses into little sluggers, enrolling them all in sports and teaching them how to take apart and fix a car.

"Mom, it's so good to see you." Lola hugged her mother. Evangeline was a true Texas belle, tall and slender with pale skin and black curly hair, she had been a local beauty queen and model in between raising her three girls.

"You look beautiful, Lola. Where's Paisley?"

"She's in the pool with the kids."

"Baby sister!"

The four of them looked over to see Lola's two older sisters walking up. All three girls had their mother's dark hair, but only Lola had golden-amber cat eyes. Samantha had green eyes and their father's chin with brownish red hair while Tamara had brown eyes and weaved brown-blonde hair, she and Lola both having heart shaped faces.

"Hi!" Lola squealed, giving her sisters a huge group hug, being the shortest of the three at five feet six. The girls were all seven years apart in age, but they were still very close, but not as much recently since they were all busy with their own lives. Lola hoped that one day they could fix that. "Sammie, Tammy, where are Nick, Jesse and the kids?"

"At the buffet, the kids went wild over that elephant. Nice job, Will." Samantha gave Will's shoulder an affectionate shove.

"Thanks."

"Will, we're going out to California next week for Jesse' vacation, I was wondering if there was any chance you could score us tickets for the Paramount studio tour?"

"Tamara!" Lola's mouth flew open, but all her middle sister did was shrug.

"What?" She innocently asked, but all Will did was nod.

"Of course, I'll mention it to Mouse and have him call you."

Tamara smiled. "Thanks, Will. You're such a doll." She gave him a kiss on the cheek. "You two are so cute I can't stand it!"

Samantha nodded. "Seriously, you're like the perfect couple."

"Well, that's because I married the perfect girl." Will laughed, wrapping his arm around Lola.

"When are we going to get another grandchild?" Evangeline asked.

"Isn't eight enough?"

**_All this pressure to have a baby, I'm losing my mind._ **

"Hopefully soon." Will replied. "My schedule the past couple of years has been a mess. Jay and I have to jump on a plane to race in Richmond tomorrow, and we have to stay longer since we both have a cameo in the new _Sharknado_ movie."

"Oh, God." Samantha rolled her eyes. "Nick is obsessed with that over dramatic crap."

"There's no rush. My girls have seven years between them and they're all incredibly close." Dudley said.

They all turned around at the sound of Paisley squealing in the pool.

"Cooper! J.J.! Cooper!"

She jumped out of the pool and slipped on the steps, scraping her knee. Lola gasped when she saw it.

"Paisley!"

She was about to make her way over but Will held her back.

"Lola, don't overreact, she's fine."

"How could you say that?! Our daughter just fell, I have to go check on her."

"Then she's going to turn into a nervous wreck hypochondriac. See, she's up and running already."

The group watched as Paisley was hanging on Cooper's neck as Kelly and J.J. watched. J.J. was Kelly's second son from Renee, who decided she could no longer handle being a mother of two boys and ditched them. Until last week, J.J. had been visiting his aunt Mary in California, but he was every much a part of the Chicago NASCAR family.

Dudley patted Lola on the shoulder. "He's right, honey. You can't treat them all like a broken leg."

Evangeline nudged her husband and two elder daughters. "Come on, let's go say hello."

"I'll see you around in a while."

Lola watched her family walk away, glad to have seen them but still felt empty. Was there anybody in the world that believed in her? It seemed like there wasn't.

Her grimace faded into a smile when a familiar dark haired, blue eyed couple approached them, while her dashing flame haired husband's smile evolved into a scowl.


	12. Birthday Highs and Lows, Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will reacts negatively to the arrival of frenemy Connor Rhodes and his wife Cassie, taking it out on Lola; Connor reveals some information to Lola; Will surprises Lola, Paisley and Tripp with incredibly lavish gifts.

**Hi, everybody! Finally updating! SORRY I took so long, this time it was due to writer's block. Thank you so much to all those that reviewed and followed: DCTNFG, fallingforfiction, HermoineandMarcus, NALEY23alwaysforever, Natascha2Tata, M39151, and Ms. Isabella! Be sure to check out their stories, they are quite awesome! I thought it would be fun to have _Real Housewives of Chicago,_ so if you have any unique taglines please let me know! :)**

**As I mentioned before, Cassie is from Ms. Isabella's wonderful Connor/OC story, _Walking on a Thin Line._ Please check it out, it's truly awesome and Snow, my character in _First You Get Hurt, Then You Get Close,_ has crossed over!**

**When "Sad Eyed Princess" is mentioned, it is a reference to Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiari, second wife of Iran's last Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, whom was Princess then Queen of Iran. They got divorced because she was unable to give him any heirs, not just any male heirs, any heirs. She was referred to as "The Princess with Sad Eyes". The necklace that Will gave to Lola is the Taylor-Burton diamond, where in 1969 Richard Burton outbid Cartier, a Sultan and a Greek shipping heir, just to name a few heavy hitters. It's estimated to be 68-69.42 carats, the piece is simply stunning! Will and Lola are loosely based off of Dick and Liz.**

**Please enjoy, review and spread the word!**

**_Chapter Twelve: Birthday Highs and Lows, Part Two_ **

"Cassie! Connor! So great to see you!" Lola beamed when they walked over, exchanging hugs and cheek kisses while Will was trying everything not to explode. Sure, it was different seeing Connor at races and events, but at his own father's house?! He had no place being here.

"We're glad we could make it. Hey, Will." Connor extended his hand out, only for the gesture to be ignored.

"I'm sorry, but why are you crashing my daughter's birthday party?" Will asked, folding his arms across his chest.

Connor raised an eyebrow, holding up two shiny boxes. "We brought gifts. Last I checked, party crashers don't bring gifts."

"Lola and Erin invited us." Cassie said.

All Will did was smirk. "I'm just surprised you have the nerve to show your face after I left you in the dirt at Bristol."

"Don't let that win get to your head, man. It's Food City 500, we've both still got a long way to go. We're no strangers to how the Sprint Cup can be an absolute turn around for some drivers."

"You mean you _still_ have a long way to go." Will took a step closer. "Last I checked, I was the one with more experience and wins. You'll be lucky to eat my dust, let alone finish behind me."

"Wins are nothing, it's about heart, not bragging rights. If I remember correctly, I've beaten you before."

"Not at anything major."

"Will..." Lola touched his arm, only for Cassie to get in the middle and push the men apart.

"Can you two please stop playing my dick is bigger than yours for a few hours? This is Paisley's party, and you're both ruining it for her."

"Ok," Will pointed at her. "I could see why you're invited, you helped Lola at the banquet, but why Connor? You know we're like Batman and Superman, worshiped gods but bitter rivals."

"He's my husband. Where I go he goes and where he goes I go. I'm here to support my friends, Lola in particular." She took the pink box from Connor. "Let's drop these off at the gifts table and say hi to Erin and Jay."

Connor nodded. "Sounds good. I'll see you two around."

Will waited until they walked off to grab Lola's wrist and drag her into the pool house, flinging then inside and locking the door.

"What the hell was that about?!" He snarled venomously.

Lola swallowed the lump in her throat, trying to play it cool. "Honey, please calm down. It's not that big of a deal, Jimmy is here, too."

"Don't you dare tell me it's not a big deal! Jimmy's only here because he's fucking one of your best friends, but you hardly know Cassie."

"I want to get to know her better. I didn't act alone on this, Erin also invited her. She's part of the WAGs now, I wanted her to feel welcome." Her voice squeaked, exposing her fear in this moment.

"I don't care! I don't want that pompous rich boy asshole at my father's estate!"

"I'm sorry! Will, stop! You're hurting me!" Lola tried to pry his hand off of her, but her defiance only strengthened his grip.

"Whatever, I'm not going to make an ass out of myself by asking him to leave. I can't believe you sometimes, Lola." He pulled her closer to him, ignoring her tremors. "I gave you the world, I've done everything for you, and this is how I'm repaid. If I didn't know any better, I'd think you didn't love me at all."

He finally let go of her wrist, leaving her in the pool house alone with her tears. Will always made a huge deal about the importance of keeping up appearances and a good rapport with the other drivers, team owners and sponsors. What was so different about Connor?

* * *

 

Lola watched the kids playing at the pool, rubbing her wrist. She was hoping that the bruise wouldn't be too noticeable, but Will had large hands, so her wrist and about three inches of her forearm were now colored in red, almost purple, and yellowish hues. Luckily, the cuff bracelet she had on her opposite wrist would fit perfectly and she put her Chanel sunglasses on to hide her tears.

No marriage was perfect, they had gotten into their fair share of verbal arguments over the years, but Will had never harmed her physically, not until now. Her arm was still throbbing and she felt shaky. What had she done wrong to anger him so much?

"Hey there."

Connor walked up to Lola just as she was putting the bracelet on her bruised wrist.

"Oh, Connor, hi." She mustered up a smile. "How are you enjoying the party?"

"It's a really lovely affair. Paisley is beyond adorable."

"Thank you. She really is a good little girl, even though I'm biased since she's my daughter."

"I can't wait to have a few of my own some day."

"They'll be beautiful, I'm sure." Lola cleared her throat. "Listen, I feel that it's my duty as a host to address this, but I'm really sorry about earlier. Will's had a lot on his mind lately, but it doesn't excuse his behavior."

He waved his hand out. "There's no need to apologize. I know Will doesn't like me, it's something I deal with. Maybe it will change one day, maybe it won't, but we'll just continue to duke it out on the track."

"This may be a bit abrupt, but why has there been such animosity between you and my husband for so long? I mean, I understand where the jealousy stems from. You're rich, handsome, intelligent, generous and a hell of a racer."

Connor shrugged. "I honestly don't know. One day we're cool and the next we're not. That husband of yours runs very hot and cold."

There was a bit of a silence before he decided to come clean. This poor young girl obviously needed to hear the truth.

"I know it's not my place, but I feel that you have a right to know what others are saying about you."

Lola looked into his crystal clear blue eyes. "What exactly are they saying?"

Connor heavily sighed and took a long sip of his beer.

"You can tell me, Connor." Lola briefly put her hand on his shoulder. "Please don't hold anything back."

"At the races they call you the "Sad Eyed Princess" and the "Halstead Child Bride". I know I don't know you very well, but my wife adores you and I figured I'd ask, but why are you still with Will? The way he talks when you're not around is appalling, saying about your his perfect ten trophy wife."

The child bride comment was because when they got married Will was less than a month away from turning twenty nine and Lola was nineteen, the youngest of his wives, but whenever she was in public she maintained her smile, exactly like she had been taught.

Lola knew that Will was making a mockery of her behind her back, to the other drivers and team owners, even the WAGs were at risk of hearing. How could he say anything when she had more or less been the perfect wife to him, the perfect mother to their child? This was just one more thing to add to the list.

"Sometimes I ask myself that, but Will is my husband and I do love him. He's different than how you know him, he has a good heart but is naturally hot headed. That and I don't want Paisley to grow up with two separate parents."

At the same time, Lola knew her boundaries and how they could be pushed. Will just might end up pushing her towards a divorce.

* * *

 

"Happy Birthday, Tripp and Paisley! Happy Birthday to you! Yay!"

Everybody clapped their hands and cheered as Paisley and Tripp blew the candles out of their respective birthday cakes, a multi colored seven tiered Disney Princess decal glitter cake for her and a Lightning McQueen car cake for him. Will and Lola were sitting with Paisley while Jay, Erin and Ryder were sitting with Tripp.

"Did you make a big wish, Pasil?" Lola asked, her hands on her daughter's shoulders, to which the little girl nodded.

"Yep, I sure did."

"And I hope it comes true. I love you so much, my baby. Promise me when you get older you'll still let me give you all the hugs and kisses I want and that you won't flinch away. Same with Daddy, too."

"I promise, Mommy."

"Good."

Lola gave Paisley big kisses on the cheek, making her giggle madly.

Will stood up, putting his fingers in his mouth and giving a loud whistle until everybody looked over at him.

"Hey everybody! Thanks so much for coming out here today, I couldn't think of a more perfect way to celebrate two of the greatest kids I know. Although, it wouldn't be possible without the other part of the baby making equation."

Everybody laughed at his comment as he got on one knee, taking Lola's hands in his, a bright smile on his face.

"Lola, love of my life, who has made me the happiest man in the world in more ways than one, I can't thank you enough for making me a father to such a beautiful little girl."

She returned the smile, knowing all eyes were on her, even though she didn't want to. Like her husband, she had to maintain an appearance, which was happy wife. "Of course."

"Which is why I got you something to show how much you mean to me."

Will handed her a long royal blue Harry Winston box and removed her sunglasses.

**_Buying your love again, huh Lola? At least nobody can tell you were crying an hour ago._ **

When Lola opened it, she gasped and nearly dropped the box in her lap. Inside was a large diamond necklace with a pear shaped diamond as the center pendant, almost blinding her. "Oh, my gosh!" She looked up at Will. "This is for me?"

He nodded. "Of course it is, nothing but the best for my Lolo." Will took the necklace out of the box and put it on her. "It's modeled after the one Richard Burton gave Elizabeth Taylor. Except this one is a full 70 carats."

Lola looked down as the necklace was laid on her. It was a little heavy but absolutely breathtaking, all the women at the party gasped and whispered, utterly impressed. She looked up at Will and smiled, happy tears in her eyes. After all that she put up with, she certainly deserved this gift. "Will, it's exquisite. Thank you."

"You're welcome, baby." He leaned down and kissed her, her hands on his face. "I'm sorry about earlier, I overreacted. You forgive me though, right?"

"Woo!" Justin hollered, pumping his fist. "My man is getting lucky tonight! Give him the tush, Lola!" He began to dry hump and spank a chair, to which everybody laughed and Olive looked down in shame.

"JUSTIN!" Hank shouted, throwing a plastic cup. "Knock it the hell off, now!"

Embarrassed, Justin sat down and looked away. Leave it to him to pull out the inappropriateness at a birthday party for children, but Lola was a teeny bit thankful for the diversion.

"Ok, now that that's over, there's more to come. Paisley," Will looked down at his daughter. "what's the one thing you want more than anything in the world?"

She put her finger to her chin, looking up at the sky. "Um, well..."

"Think no more, sweetheart, because Daddy got it for you." Will stood up, once again putting his fingers in his mouth and whistling.

Paisley nearly shrieked as a trainer brought in two leashed animals. The first was a miniature brown and white Shetlind pony in a tuxedo and top hat while the second was a light golden Akhal Teke horse in a tie-dyed pink and purple tutu and a diamond tiara, it's mane shining brightly in the sun.

"A pony _and_ a horse?!"

"Yeah! It's the pony from the Amazon Prime commercial and that horse is one of the rarest in the world. Go, honey! Go check out your new horse and pony!"

"Thank you so much, Daddy!"

Paisley, along with the other kids, ran off to see the horse and miniature pony. Lola stood up, glaring at her husband.

"Will!" She hissed under her breath. "I specifically told you _NOT_ to get her the pony, but a horse also?!"

He looked at her, still smiling. "She's my daughter, too. It's not like we can't afford it."

"She's just a little girl! She could fall and break her neck and where the hell are we going to keep them?!"

"I'm having a stable built, what's the big deal? Don't tell me what I can and cannot buy for our child." Will smirked facetiously. "I just gave you a twenty million dollar diamond necklace, and it's a shame that the girl wearing it doesn't have a smile that's just as bright." He lifted her chin up. "You want her to be happy, don't you?"

Lola sighed, really not wanting to have another argument at the party, but she'd remember it for later on. "Of course I do. It just seemed a little elaborate is all."

"I know, that's what I wanted. When you have a wife and daughter as wonderful as you and Paisley, why shouldn't they have everything and then some? By the way," Will leaned down into her ear. "you look so fucking sexy in that mini sundress and platform sneakers, very Baby Spice. Meet me back in the pool house after I give Tripp his present, k? Don't worry about what Justin said, I don't want to do any ass stuff." He gave her a kiss before turning to Tripp.

"Last but not least, I couldn't forget you, buddy. I decided to give you a gift that would demonstrate the fierce and courageous spirit within you. Bring out the beast!"

"Beast?" Erin and Jay looked over at each other, baffled as to what he meant... until an old fashioned cage was wheeled out with a full grown Bengal tiger in it. Some people were in shock, a few even screamed, the horse and the pony whinnied nervously, having to be led away by the trainer.

"Holy fucking shit!" Jay shouted, jumping up and ducking behind Erin, grabbing her shoulders, his sunglasses barely staying on. "Get that thing away from me!"

Will laughed at how freaked out his brother was. "Relax, he's totally tranqued out. He wouldn't even eat an Omaha steak right now."

"Kitty!" Paisley, Carmelle, Twyla and Annabelle tried to run over to the cage, but their mothers caught them just in time.

"Paisley, no! It's not a kitty." Lola said, walking her daughter away, who got teary eyed.

"But I wanna pet the kitty! Mom-my!"

Lola hated to see Paisley cry. "I'm so sorry, but that's not a kitty. Your new kitty is waiting for you at home after the party, ok?"

She nodded, wiping her tears away. "Ok, Mama."

Lola was really running out of thoughts and words to describe the man whose ring she wore on her finger. Would this ego trip ever stop? Of course Will would have to do it up in such a huge and ridiculous manner. With him, everything was all about the show.

**_If he wanted that, he should have married a Kardashian. I didn't sign up for this._ **


	13. Birthday Highs and Lows, Part Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will has some difficulties in the bedroom, taking it out on Lola; Lola talks to Greg "Mouse" Gerwitz, Will and Jay's agent, about the Maxim offer; Some surprising news sends Will into a tailspin, finally getting him to agree to see Dr. Charles.

**Hi, everybody! Finally updating! SORRY I took so long, this time it was due to writer's block. Thank you so much to all those that reviewed and followed: DCTNFG, fallingforfiction, HermoineandMarcus, NALEY23alwaysforever, Natascha2Tata, M39151, and Ms. Isabella! Be sure to check out their stories, they are quite awesome! I thought it would be fun to have _Real Housewives of Chicago,_ so if you have any unique taglines please let me know! :)**

**I know that a lot of people thought that Will was over the top last chapter. I had just finished watching _Eastbound and Down_ and the main character Kenny Powers went above and beyond with gifts, so I was inspired. He bought a Chanel bag with $3,000 cash inside, a Louis Vuitton backpack for his daughter and a wolf for his son. Crazy! He also got the Nao Robot that I had Hank get for Tripp, which is about $16,000!**

**_Chapter Thirteen: Birthday Highs and Lows, Part Three_ **

"Fuck, Lola, you're so damn tight. It's true what they say about elasticity after a woman gives birth. Even if it wasn't, there's a surgery for it."

Will had Lola in the pool house closet, the farthest room in the house and away from the party, he was dead intent on making his queen holler in pleasurable mercy for him. Her diamond necklace was nestled perfectly in between her breasts, which were popped out of her mini-sundress, her platform sneakers thrashing together with each thrust, and it couldn't have been hotter.

"Open up to me, my sexy girl. I wanna put another baby inside you."

"Will," Lola panted out, holding onto his shoulders. "Aren't you close yet? We should really be getting back to the party."

"Why? The kids are stuffing their faces with sugar and playing with the animals. We could be here for the rest of the afternoon if we wanted."

"Does anybody know we're back here?"

Will shook his head, gripping her ass and bouncing her on him faster. "Of course not. The whole allure of a quickie is doing it in secret."

He bent Lola over to the point where she was practically standing on her hands as he pounded into her faster. It had never taken him this long to finish before, especially with Lola.

"We should really be getting back, people will start to wonder where we are- AHH!"

Lola bit her lip, watching the party through the bedroom window from what she could see in the closet, trying to contain her own orgasm. It wouldn't be fair of her to finish when he was having such difficulty.

"Fuck!" He laid her down and yanked at his hair. "I can't do it, now you have me all paranoid."

Except it wasn't only that. Will had had a hard cumming as of lately, in more places than one.

Lola pulled the top of her dress up and put her hand on his shoulder. "Will, sweetheart, is there anything you want to talk about with me? I don't judge, I promise. Lots of men have this problem and there's ways to fix it."

"Oh, Lola. We both know I'm really not like most men, not even close." He glanced over at her. "Thanks for suppressing your orgasm for me though, you really are the sweetest out of all my wives."

He laid Lola on the carpet as he kissed her passionately, making his way down her body and disappearing under her dress. The heat from his mouth was overwhelming and made her swoon, moaning uncontrollably and grabbing his hair. When Will finished, he looked up at her, something of an annoyed expression on his face.

"What was that? Is there somebody else?"

Lola scrunched her eyebrows up, still panting. "What? No! How could you even ask me that?!"

"Because you just came faster than a teenage boy getting his first handjob!" He looked away from her, disgruntled.

"Will," Lola grabbed his face, forcing their eyes to lock. "I love you. Even though you have a better marriage with your career and your ego than to me, I love you." She kissed him roughly, biting his lip until she tasted blood, making him yank away.

"OW! Lola!"

"Remember that next time you think about putting your cock in some perky tittied teenage NASCAR groupie."

She got up, fixing her dress and walking out, leaving him to tend to his now bloody lip. How dare he accuse her of cheating when he more than likely was? Why was she continuing to torture herself like this? She deserved better, and this was an instance where what little love was still there wasn't enough. There has to be more.

Walking out, Lola looked over to see Greg "Mouse" Gerwitz. Mouse was Will and Jay's agent and personal accountant, he booked them all the top gigs and always kept the party budgets in line.

He was talking to Grant Kidd, the husband of her _Real Housewives_ cast mate Stella. Rumor has it that Grant was on drugs again, Lola was a little wary of having him at the party but Stella and the producers assured her that he was clean.

"Mouse!"

Lola waved, walking over to him.

"Lola, hey. How's it going?"

If only he were a few inches taller and didn't have a haircut from the 1950's, he could have done very well in the modeling game. At the same time, spitting mad game was what Mouse was all about, because he really was one hell of an agent and a whiz with money.

"Hi, I'm good. Grant," she turned to him. "Would you mind excusing me and Mouse for a moment? There's something we have to discuss."

The Adam Scott look alike nodded. "Sure thing, sweetheart. Take all the time you need."

"How's Snow doing?" Lola asked once Grant left.

"She's great, she's over in Botswana for Doctors Without Borders." Greg was married to a young doctor named Snow Greyson, a pretty brunette with a rebellious side.

"That's wonderful! You guys should come over for dinner when she gets back."

"Sounds like a plan."

"Listen, I've decide to go through with the _Maxim_ shoot. Dallas Patterson and I spoke recently, it sounds like it'll be fun."

Yes, Will would have a fit, but she needed to do something for herself. This was definitely a start.

"Really?" Mouse raised an eyebrow. "And what does Will think?"

Lola scoffed with a laugh. "Are you kidding me? This whole thing was his idea, it fits in with his King of NASCAR vision. He's totally for it." Judging by the look on his face, he bought it. "Anyways, I need you to wrangle me up a good deal and make me an official client. I want to get back into the modeling game and I know you can help me out."

"Are you sure? What about Will wanting you to get pregnant again? It's not an easy market, Lola. There's lots of competition. Gigi, Kendall, Cara-"

"All had nepotism working for them and now so do I. Even if that weren't the case, I was getting some pretty solid work before I married Will. My husband can open all kinds of doors, it's about time he does for me. Please, Mouse? I'm not asking for a five year contract with Revlon, I just want a little something."

Mouse shrugged. "Say no more. I've got your back, girl."

She smiled warmly at him. "Thank you so much, it means a great deal to me. Enjoy the party." Lola leaned in and kissed him on the cheek, seeing him flush before she walked away. Mouse always had a little crush on her, Will was either too oblivious or too full of himself to notice.

"Lola!" Cindy Hermann waved, making her way over. She was a slightly plump woman with a strawberry blonde bob and greenish eyes that preferred wearing maxi dresses and cardigans.

Lola smiled. "Hi, Cindy. I feel like I haven't seen you at all today." They got along pretty well. Albeit a little wary that this was Will's third wife, Lola had been welcomed by the WAGS almost instantly for her sweet demeanor.

"It's been a busy party. I just had to come over here and see this necklace though!" She lifted the pear pendant, staring in awe. "Wow, that is magnificent! Isn't it heavy though?"

"A little bit, but I've gotten used to it in such a short time."

"Will adores you, sweetheart. If I was twenty five years younger and hadn't met Christopher first, I'd probably take a crack at that. He's so handsome."

Lola giggled politely. "Yes, Will is a good looking guy."

**_For a ginger._ **

"Lola?"

"Yes, Cindy?"

"Is everything alright? You've been so sad lately and a few of the WAGs have noticed." She put her hand on Lola's arm.

"I know it may seem like Trudy, Donna and me are all a bunch of old hens, but we care about you girls so much. You're our littlest chick, we worry."

Lola nodded, seeing the sincerity in Cindy's eyes was enough to make her want to cry. Cindy and Christopher really had a perfect marriage they were childhood sweethearts and still so madly in love after five kids and forty plus years. There was no way she would be able to understand what Lola was enduring, the silent suffering. None of the WAGS would understand.

"I've just been under a lot of stress lately is all, we're trying to get pregnant again and I've been planning Erin's baby shower. This is a big year for Will. If he wins the Sprint Cup he'll hold the record for most consecutive wins."

**_There you go with the excuses again._ **

 

* * *

 

"Thanks for letting us use the backyard, Dad."

Will, Lola, Jay, Erin, Kirkland, Tawny Rae and Hank were all sitting around the patio table after the party had ended and the sun was beginning to set, watching Tripp, Ryder, and Paisley playing as the decorations were being disassembled by workers. Justin, Olive and Daniel would have joined them if Hank's only son hadn't passed out from drinking too much. Overall, the party had been a massive success.

Kirkland shook his head. "No need to thank me, you know I'd do anything for my grandkids. It was an outstanding party."

"Will, get rid of the tiger." Jay shook his head, swigging his beer, only for his brother to crack up.

"Jay, lighten up. It's not like I got him a black mamba."

Erin nodded. "We understand."

Hank leaned in when Will wasn't looking. "Don't worry about it, I know a guy at the Chicago Zoo."

She smiled. "Thanks, Pop. Tripp loves the Nao Robot you gave him. I just want to know what to do when it starts following me around the house."

Hank laughed. "Don't worry, it walks itself into a corner at one point, or at least that's what Daniel's does."

"I can't believe you guys have to get on a plane in a few hours." Lola said as she rested her head on Will's shoulder, his arm wrapping around her's.

"I'll be back soon enough, Lolo. SyFy is cheap, we'll probably get the take done in twenty minutes if not less. I wonder which one of us will be shark bait."

"Probably you, bro."

"But sharks would eat birds, MockingJay."

"Boys, we have some very big news to tell you." Kirkland wrapped his arm around Tawny Rae's shoulder.

Will and Jay knew what the news was and felt a sudden relief, looking over at each other and smiling. Their father had finally come to his senses and decided to divorce Tawny Rae. Maybe he had taken in an interest in somebody closer to his age, considering the age gap between them was a joke. He was no doubt old enough to be her grandfather.

"You'll soon be having a baby sister."

Will and Jay's smiles immediately disappeared, blinking their eyes in shock.

"I'm sorry?" Jay asked.

Tawny Rae nodded, her smile as wide as the filler would permit. "Yes, I'm pregnant! Is it exciting?"

Erin spoke up to break the silence. "H-How far along are you?"

"Four months, can you believe it?" She stood up and twirled, a barely noticeable bulge in the stomach, which everybody assumed was from the skin tight bodycon dress she had been wearing. "I'm going to commemorate it with the launch of my brand new clothing line Hot Mama!, for mamas of any age to look their absolute sexiest. I totally want you girls to be in the fashion show. So, what does everybody think?" Tawny Rae giggled and sat down, kissing Kirkland on the cheek, oblivious to the four speechless faces staring back at her.

Jay cleared his throat. "Congratulations, you two." Jay got up, giving Tawny Rae a kiss on the cheek and shaking his father's hand. "She's going to be beautiful, I know it."

"Louise!" Lola called the nanny over. "Can you please take the children inside?" She whispered, fully aware that Will was about to flip out.

"Right away, Mrs. Halstead."

"You really want another kid, Kirk?" Hank rasped out. "We aren't in our hay day anymore."

"It'll be fine."

"This is a joke, right? You can't be pregnant. He's a senior citizen." Will was unusually pale at the moment, Lola could feel him shaking. She knew that this news would rock his world the second she heard it.

Tawny Rae giggled. "Well, thanks to Viagara and Cialis, he is."

"Why would I need another boy? I've had my two, now I can relax with a daughter."

"You have a granddaughter, soon to be two by the end of the year."

"Will, my legacy has been fulfilled: two boys. Jay's legacy is going to be fulfilled: two boys, and now that that's done it's fine for him to have a girl. There should always be one boy and girl in each family, to obtain the father's talents and the mother's beauty. Lucky for you, Paisley looks just like your mother and Lola, so it didn't entirely go to waste. Just work harder to get that boy so your racing career hasn't been for nothing."

"Kirk-" Erin spoke but Lola unintentionally cut her off, unable to hold back any longer.

"Why are you doing this to him? Sure, you're more lenient with Jay because of Ryder and Tripp, but what about Will? He constantly goes above and beyond to be the best he can, which is pretty damn fantastic, and I just feel like you don't remind them enough of how proud you are."

"My boys know that I'm proud of them. All I'm trying to say is that with the kind of profession my sons are in, having a legacy is almost pointless if it can't be carried on. We don't want Will to end up having two daughters like Stephen Curry."

Will rose up, glaring Tawny Rae down. "You may think that this child is a guaranteed meal ticket, but it's not going to happen. When my dad dies, I'll take her from you and make sure you don't get a dime, you cock-hopping, gold digging whore."

"Will!" Kirkland shouted at him as the older Halstead son walked away. "Apologize to her right now!"

"Will, please!" Tawny Rae stood up, tears streaming down her face. "I don't want this! I love you and Jay like my own sons!"

"Yeah, you also loved me when I was balls deep inside you, too! You'll never be my mother! Never!"

The five of them watched Will grab one of the cake knives and stab the inflatable decorations and bouncy houses, screaming obscenities all the while. Lola looked over to see the _Real Housewives_ camera crew filming all this and felt mortified.

"Is there any way at all you can turn those off? Please?"

The producer shook his head. "Sorry, Lola. This will be ratings gold. You signed the contract."

She sighed and looked down, shaking her head. This was the last thing she wanted anybody to see, she was going to have to have a talk with the executive producer at some point.

"I wish he would just love and accept me for who I am." Tawny Rae cried into Kirkland's chest as he rubbed her shoulder.

"He's got that stubborn Halstead streak, what can be done?"

"We get it from you." Jay mumbled under his breath.

"What did you say?" Kirkland asked, glaring down his youngest son.

Jay shook his head, not in the mood to start another argument. "Nothing. I think one of us should go and talk to him."

"I'll go." Hank stood up, only for Lola to shake her head.

"No, it's fine. Thank you, Hank, but I should really be the one to go."

Lola walked over to see Will stabbing and ripping open an inflatable clown, it made her think of the shower scene in _Psycho_.

"Will! Will, stop! Put the knife down. You've stabbed that clown enough."

He threw the knife off to the side, which was when Lola noticed his hands were a bit of bloody. She sat on her knees and put his head in her lap, stroking his hair to relax him.

"Take a deep breath. It'll be ok, my love." Lola leaned down, giving his forehead a kiss as his breathing calmed. "Are you ok?"

"I always wanted a little sister, but not like this. My mom's pregnancy with Jay was difficult, and she had her tubes tied afterwards. This marriage with my dad and Tawny Rae has lasted longer than any of us predicted. I always thought he'd come to his senses and leave her, or she'd try to bleed him dry in some high expense divorce, but now they're bonded together for the rest of their lives."

She could tell by his voice that he wanted to cry but was holding it in. Lola had only seen Will cry a few times, the most recent was a few weeks ago after the dinner at Kirkland's.

"Will," Lola turned his head so she could look at him. The cameras were obviously close by, but she needed to tell Will regardless of that.

"I know that you're still in pain from losing your mother and the way your father treats you, but you can't let it rule your life. You're a hero, an inspiration to millions around the world and you have more than most people could ever dream of. Even if you didn't have any of that, you have a wife and daughter who love you more than you'll ever know, but you're neglecting us. We're here for you. It kills me to see you like this because your pain is my pain, but you have to let this go. Maybe your dad and Tawny Rae will get divorced, maybe they won't. If anything happens, we'll deal with it, but there are other matters at hand that hold a higher importance, like our own marriage. We need to work on it, so can you please be a partner with me again?"

After a while, he nodded, knowing she was right.

"I will. I don't want to lose you, baby. We'll go to Dr. Charles before Talladega, and I want you with me there, also. Paisley, too."


	14. Live To Tell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will and Lola lay all their cards on the table in their first marriage counseling session with Dr. Daniel Charles. Will it be beneficial or detrimental?

**Hi, everybody! Thank you so much to all those that reviewed and followed: DCTNFG, HermoineandMarcus, NALEY23alwaysforever, Natascha2Tata, M39151, and Ms. Isabella! Be sure to check out their stories, they are quite awesome!**

**I'm not sure if anybody remembers Zoya, she was the blonde Russian chick in Season 2 of _Chicago Fire_ that was with Kelly and then Cruz proposed to her for a green card marriage. Don't worry, Katya will be arriving later on in the story.**

**_PLEASE READ BELOW BEFORE CONTINUING ON!_ **

**Both of this week's chapters for my _Chicago_ stories were a bit difficult to write, they both have Will being a jerk and the OC being heartbroken. I always incorporate music when writing and into my stories, so I'll go into further detail. "Live To Tell" was based off of the song by Madonna, which was written for a movie entitled _At Close Range_ about a father manipulating his two sons into a life of crime, it reminded me a bit of Kirkland with Will and Jay but without the crime. "Live To Tell" is about dealing with the agony of having to suppress your secrets, too frightened to unleash them, and it's obvious that Will does that in this chapter. I hope that my readers will be able to understand both sides to this because they're both evident!**

**I already used "Lucky" in _Forever Rising Phoenix,_ and while I hate being a repeat offender, the song fits too perfectly for Lola. The main song I have for Will and Lola is "Love The Way You Lie" by Eminem featuring Rhianna, but more on that later. I apologize if it seems like Lola sounds redundant at times, but when you're flustered and at your wits end with your partner, it happens. Also, I changed Lola's eye color.**

**_Chapter Fourteen: Live To Tell_ **

"Thank you so much for seeing us today. You came very highly recommended by Trudy McHolland." Lola said as she and Will shook hands with Dr. Charles before sitting down. His office wasn't anything extraordinary. If anything, it was a bit messy, but sometimes geniuses worked well in that kind of an environment.

"I remember them, great people. What seems to be the problem or problems that brought you here today?" Dr. Daniel Charles asked. He was a portly man with salt and pepper colored hair and kind eyes behind black rimmed eyeglasses.

Will and Lola sat in silence, looking all over the room, until she decided to speak up, because there was no way Will was going to. Although, she had appreciated that he dressed accordingly to her white eyelet mini skater dress by wearing a dark suit.

The announcement of Tawny Rae's pregnancy had sent Will into a tailspin. He actually had to get two stitches in his hand from stabbing the clown, the combination of that and all the other bullshit on his mind resulted in him finishing in thirty third at Richmond, his worst placement in probably his whole career.

He and Jay were flying out to New York early tomorrow morning to film television appearances, both of them on _Sesame Street_ to explain race cars followed by _Lip Sync Battle_ , then ending with Will on _The Tonight Show_ and Jay on _Late Night with Seth Meyers_. The boys were ecstatic for _Lip Sync Battle_ , Will was all set to lip sync "Sexy Back" by Justin Timberlake and "Peacock" by Katy Perry while Jay had selected "Cum On Feel The Noise" by Slade and "...Hit Me Baby One More Time" by Britney Spears. It was bound to be hysterical and would probably pop up all over social media and ESPN.

"I just feel like there's times where my words go in one ear and out the other. My opinion is undermined constantly and you never listen to me."

"Dr. Charles, I don't think Lola realizes how easy she has it. I'm the breadwinner of the family, I bring home the bacon."

"Now, Will," Dr. Charles arranged himself in his chair. "I'm not one to pass judgment here, but don't you think that sounds a little misogynistic?"

Will shrugged. "No, it's the same arrangement my parents had and they were happily married for thirty four years until my mother passed away. If we should discuss anything, it should be this one's shopping habits." He pointed at Lola with his thumb.

"I don't shop that much." Lola whispered.

"Yes, you do. $80,000 on clothes and shoes?! Lola, how much do you need?"

"Ok, fine. Shopping is cathartic to me, I have nothing else. That's not the problem here. The problem is you make everything about yourself and not us. I have no life. All I do is take care of our daughter and I'm literally trapped in our house except to go shopping or plan something to do with NASCAR involving the other wives and girlfriends."

"You're lucky." Will mumbled under his breath.

"Do you know what it's like being me? I don't care how accomplished or advanced you are, every single time you're on that racetrack, my heart goes into a lurch that it'll be the last time." Lola knew that she was going to start crying, she always did whenever this was brought up. "I lay awake at night thinking of how I'll have to explain to our little girl why her daddy's gone, and on top of that you want to have more kids for me to explain that, too?"

"But, babe," Will grabbed her hand, stroking her thumb. "this isn't a new concept. We always said we'd have more children after Paisley."

"Will, I can't have another child right now and I don't know when I'll be able to. I'm severely depressed." Lola reached for a tissue. "You say _I'm_ lucky? My life has turned into that damn Britney Spears song. In your mind, I have it all but then why do I keep crying these lonely tears at night? It's the reason why they call me the "Sad Eyed Princess".

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Where did you hear that?"

"I have my sources."

There was too much going on between them, now was not the time to throw Connor under the bus as well.

Daniel interrupted. "Are you taking anything for the depression?"

She shook her head. "No."

Although they both knew that was a lie, Lola had told Dr. Charles on the phone about how Will was in the dark about her antidepressants.

"Do you think maybe you had children too soon?"

"I've wondered that before but no, I don't think so. Lola was the most available of all my wives and it was something we agreed we were both ready for. I adore my daughter more than life itself, there's not a single thing I wouldn't do for her, but I need a son. Don't worry though." Will grabbed Lola's hand. "My dad told me about PGD, and it's guaranteed to work! So you have nothing to worry about now, Lolo. You can relax because it will all be taken care of."

"You're talking about Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis, right? It's a bit risky. Wouldn't you rather have God and fate decide?"

Will shrugged. "Not really. We already tried that and I don't think I can handle history repeating itself."

"This is all he cares about, having more babies, particularly boys. He wants a baby so badly that he even contemplated adopting his ex-wife's child! I'm sorry, Dr. Charles, but I don't think he has any business adopting a non-biological child from a woman he was previously married to."

Dr. Charles nodded. "That does sound highly unorthodox, but what was your reasoning behind wanting to make such a large life decision?"

"Listen, Dr. Charles, I'm not totally heartless. I see things from both sides. This little boy is the same age as my daughter, I figure it would be a good thing to be a father figure to him and give her a taste of what it would be like having a younger brother. Although, Lola really hates Natalie."

"And Natalie is...?"

"My ex-wife."

" _Second_ ex-wife." Lola corrected. "And don't blame this on me! Did you forget how bossy you told me she was? Even if you hadn't, Jay and Erin filled me in. Hell, _everybody_ filled me in. I swear the world rejoiced when you put that ring on my finger. Let's not forget that I was there when she was trying to barely leave a dime to your name in the divorce." She turned to Dr. Charles. "Will didn't even tell me about this right away, he waited an entire day to tell me. I had to call and set her straight. I'd like to think that she got the message loud and clear, but that doesn't erase how everybody needs Will to have a son, especially his father. As I was so politely reminded, having a legacy like his is pointless if there isn't a male heir to carry it on."

"But you have a daughter, there have been female race car drivers before. That Kim Burgess isn't half bad and Gabriella Dawson-Casey was pretty good in her day as well."

Lola shook her head. "We don't want her to race. Seriously, they act like this is _Game of Thrones_ or something. Only a male heir matters." She said with a sarcastic laugh as she wiped her tears, Will had a serious expression on his face.

"Wow... Lola, you're totally right! It is! Think about it. The teams are all royal houses. House Halstead, House Voight, House Severide and House Borelli, and the Sprint Cup is our Iron Throne. I'm like the Jaime Lannister of NASCAR! I should start going by "Kingslayer" instead of "Big Red II". Or Jon Snow! Yeah, NASCAR is my Castle Black. You are such a genius." He gave her a laughing grin.

"Oh, my god! You are such an imbecile. Now is clearly not the place to bring that up!"

"What's your intimate life like? How often do you make love?" asked Dr. Charles, making notes in his leather bound journal and ignoring Will's idiotic comments. He was glad that the Halsteads had finally come to him. For as in love as Daniel could tell they were, they clearly needed his help.

Will smiled widely, wrapping his arm around Lola. "Oh, we have an _amazing_ sex life, Dr. Charles. We make up for lost time when I get home by constantly being in bed. Look at her, she could give the Pope a hard on."

"Will!" Lola said through gritted teeth, pushing him off. "Tell Dr. Charles the truth, he's not going to judge us or rat you out." She looked over at Dr. Charles. "Well, lately he's been having a problem..." She made a sideways circle with her hand. "You know, taking longer than usual, but the other day was the first time he couldn't finish at all, but I'm still worried about all the stress he has. He's going to give himself a heart attack one day. I think he's hiding something major from me, but no matter what I've done, he won't tell me!"

"My job carries an exorbitant amount of pressure, that's why. It nearly cost me an arm and a leg to be here today."

"It's always NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR! We need to discuss how your relationship with Paisley is totally strained! He thinks that buying her anything her heart desires makes him Father of the Year, like when I repeatedly told him **_NOT_** to buy her a pony but also a horse?! She's four years old, she doesn't need both!"

"You're making way too big of a deal out of this. She's not going to be a race car driver, she has to have some kind of a fallback. If anything, I purchased the horse because they're a rare breed."

"Were you Father of the Year when you walked out in the middle of her dance recital two nights ago?"

It had been Paisley, Carmelle, Twyla and Annabelle's spring dance recital. The whole Halstead clan had been there to support them, but when it came time for Paisley's "Tiny Dancer" solo, Will suddenly got a phone call and had to leave.

Unfortunately, Paisley saw him walk out. Lola desperately tapped her dimples to get Paize to keep smiling, feeling her eyes water over her only daughter's heart broken expression, but damn if that little girl wasn't a trooper for carrying on with her routine.

"I told you it was Mouse. There was a problem with my Funko Pop!, the face was coming out weird and they needed my approval on the outfit. Paisley is well aware of how busy Daddy is, but maybe Mommy isn't."

This was unfortunately going nowhere. It was similar to how things were at home, Lola trying everything to get Will to open up and him constantly deflecting.

"Of course I know how busy you are! I want to be that busy, too, except you don't let me do anything! All my other friends, even the ones with children, are all doing something. I know that I can multitask and do both just like them, but Will won't let me. He doesn't think I should go back to school and he reneged on his word to let me do this photo shoot for _Maxim_."

"I had to. You're better than that slutty shit."

"But I wanted to do it! I still do!" Lola was too upset to cry, she was too frazzled. "Will, don't you remember "A Thousand Years"? That was our wedding song. The lyrics stood out for me, don't be afraid of me because I've loved you for a thousand years and I will for a thousand more, but there's days where I doubt you still feel the same, like being with me is an obligation."

"It's not."

"Where did the man I married disappear to? The compassionate, gentle Will Halstead I fell so madly in love with?" She grabbed both his hands in her own, making him look into her teary blue gold eyes. "Please come back to me, Willby. There's still glimpses of him here and there, but he's gone, more like a shadow. Some days I feel like I don't even know who you are anymore."

"Willby" was Lola's nickname for him that she randomly came up with one night on vacation in St. Thomas because they both despised "Willy". Nowadays, she only called him that when she was trying to get through, and the evidence was lucid that right now was not one of those times where it would work in her favor.

Lola needed to face the truth that if Will wouldn't step up to the plate now, for the sake of their marriage, that he never would.

"Neither do I."

The room went silent as Will continued to look at his feet.

"Right after Paisley was born, something happened."

Will could no longer deny this to himself, nor could he deny it to his innocent wife. Enough time had passed, he needed to come clean, even if it would inflict more pain and suffering upon those around him.

"What?" Lola's heartbeat sped up, her ears were pounding and she could feel her hands shaking.

"Go ahead, Will. We're listening." Dr. Charles gently coaxed, removing his glasses.

Will took a deep breath, twisting his hands in his lap, scared shitless to unveil such a horrible truth.

"I was in Dallas for a convention. It had been a long day of signing and posing for pictures, hamming it up for the fans. The guys and I just wanted to blow off some steam, so we went to a strip club. One by one, everybody left except for me and Justin. We took a couple of the girls back to the hotel with us and it was all a blur.

There were lines of coke everywhere, I spaced out for five seconds after doing some. I only did it the one time, but that's besides the point. I look over to see Justin getting a blow job and then he started having sex with this chick. It made me think of you and how you weren't there, I was getting tempted.

One of the girls, Zoya, was all over me. I made her tie me up and blindfold me so I could feel but not touch as she gave me a lap dance. You and your exquisite body were all I thought about, I so desperately wished that you were there with me so you could be the one I touched, not that skank. I couldn't live with myself if I cheated on you. That's ok for Justin to do, but not me. If you haven't caught on already, which I'm sure you have, he's been cheating on Olive this whole time and one of his three GOTS has a daughter with him. The next thing I know after I came in my pants, Zoya had a knife to my throat and a gun to my head saying she videotaped the whole thing and would leak it to the press if I didn't do exactly what she said."

"And did you?" asked Dr. Charles, to which Will nodded reluctantly.

"I had to say whatever I could to get back to my wife and baby girl. Zoya just kept getting greedier and greedier. I bought her a house, two cars, a whole new wardrobe. I tried telling her that I told my wife but she refused to believe me. I got so stressed over it that I started gambling. At casinos, on my phone and tablet, even the weekly poker games with the team owners and chiefs. I had some really high wins and pretty bad lows, bad enough to where I've had to pay off the debts with the money from Paisley's college fund. This woman is the reason why I can't let you model, Lola. She'll come after you, she'll come after us."

"Is that it?" Lola asked, afraid to know the truth, her fear solidified when he shook his head.

"No, it's not. I'm addicted to pornography. I have strippers tie me up and give me lap dances or they have sex in front of me, mostly girl-on-girl. I technically keep Zoya employed. Her dream was to be a porn star, so it was her idea for me to invest in an adult entertainment production company. They've become pretty successful, they even have a reality show now for the next big porn star and I was able to add to the college fund and then some. I have tried constantly to stop on my own but I can't. Whenever I'm alone I watch one of my sex tapes-"

Dr. Charles interrupted him. "I'm sorry, sex tapes?"

"Yes. Ever since I lost my virginity to now, I've had ever single encounter taped. Zoe, Kayla, Natalie, Lola, all my wedding nights, even the other day in the pool house. I just really get off on my exceptional skills as a lover, but it's tearing me apart inside."

If Lola was feeling a bit paranoid before, it was magnified now. His confession had transformed her into a statue of trauma, bathed in perspiration and disgust, the only movement from her rapidly beating heart.

She was so frozen that she didn't even realize Will had started crying. "Lola, I'm so sorry. I'm a sick, sick man and I don't know what to do." He rested his head on her shoulder, practically sobbing. "It's been deteriorating away at me, having to hold back and the pain building up. I wanted to tell you so many times but I was too scared of the truth my words would hold. You don't deserve this at all, baby."

"Lola, it seems as if these women are providing Will a specific, exciting head rush that you can't since he's on the road. But Will, saying that what you have them do to you is not cheating is a contradiction. It's a false rationalization, really."

" _I have a problem_. Sometimes I can't even focus without releasing. Those hands free orgasm porno videos help when I'm not able to get a stripper. That way I'm not even using my hands. It's not like I'm the only one to do it, everybody does, and I was never inside any other woman in five years but my wife, not even once."

Dr. Charles shook his head. "I'm sorry, but that's still a contributing factor, coming up with any excuse you can think of to get the fix. You're allowing yourself to become controlled and weakened by this inferior mindset. Your addictions are not only hurting yourself, but your family. Lola," Daniel glanced at her. "is there anything you'd like to say?"

Her mind was a broken roller coaster, spinning without a second to stop, out of control and so blurred nothing could be seen for a glimpse of clarity. Strippers? Gambling? Porn addiction? Was she that much of an oblivious idiot? Either way, she had gone past hitting her breaking point.

"Will, I..."

"Babe, please..."

Glaring him down, Lola unleashed the she-wolf.

" ** _HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?!_** Almost our whole marriage was a lie, and all because you needed to get your rocks off?! I did everything for you, Will! I sacrificed my future for you, raising Paisley alone while you're snorting coke and getting dry humped by STD laden whores, throwing away our child's education! Why, why did you do this?!" Lola was practically shouting in his face, hot tears streaming down her now red cheeks, she was absolutely fuming.

"Aren't I perfect enough for you?! I have done everything you ever wanted! I got my teeth straightened again, my nose fixed, my already well endowed breasts done to your liking, not to mention all the laser work! Will, I'm a walking Barbie doll, and even if I hadn't gotten plastic surgery, I'm still a natural beauty! I let you back door me every time you win a race! Do you know what that feels like?! How about I stick some freckled dildo dick up your ass so you know, you son of a bitch?!"

Without thinking, Lola hauled back and punched Will in the face so hard that he actually fell off the couch, clutching his eye.

"Argh! Jesus Motherfucker!" He sat up, rubbing his eye. "Lola, I'm going to be in front of cameras all day tomorrow! You know this!" Will rubbed his cheek in distress. "I think you broke a tooth! Where did you learn to throw a punch like that?!"

Dr. Charles stood up, holding his hand out. "Lola, I know you're angry right now, but I'm going to have to ask you not to lash out violently in here."

She started walking around and pacing. "I can't even think straight! I am beyond infuriated! Nobody will ever make you happy like I can, and you're about to find out because I'm done. I want a divorce!"

 ** _"What?!"_** Will got on his knees and grabbed her hands, panic at an all time high and his eyes burning with tears, both from the pain in his face and the shock of her words. "Lola, no! Please, I'll do what I can to fix this! I'll go to rehab or private counseling, anything you want! I didn't technically cheat!"

"I can't trust you at all! You never stick with anything, I'm amazed you're even here today!" Lola sat down, wiping her tears.

"Lola, I know this may seem like a silly question, but how are you feeling right now?" Dr. Charles had seen his fair share of arguments in this office before, but this one had the most venom.

"Honestly, thankful that the film crew isn't here to capture this and edit it to make us a mockery to America. That's not all. I'm enraged, I'm devastated, my head feels like it's about to pop off!" She looked over at Will. "I don't even know what to say to you right now. I can't breathe!" Lola put her hands on the sides of her face as her head went between her legs, desperately trying to catch her breath.

Taking a risk, Will put his hand on her shoulder. "It's ok, honey. We're going to work it out."

She shrugged him off. "Don't fucking touch me! At this point, I never want your hands on me again for the rest of my life."

Lola's hand dived into the inside pockets of his suit jacket, fishing out his iPhone and the Lamborghini car keys.

"I don't know how your tits and jacks addiction is going to survive, but you'll have to find another way without your phone!"

She stood up, throwing the phone on the ground and smashing it to smithereens as hard as she could with her bronze Gucci strappy sandals.

"NO!" Will shouted, bending down to pick up his shattered phone.

"While you're at it, find another way home. If you were smart, which you aren't, you wouldn't show your disgraceful face there because you are not welcome in my house!"

With a flip of her hair, Lola slung her Chanel purse over her shoulder and walked out of Dr. Charles' office, slamming the door behind her, ignoring the calls to return.

Blasting "The Hell Song" by Sum-41 as she zipped out of the parking lot in her husband's cherished electric blue Lamborghini and onto the Chicago streets, burning rubber as she left, all Lola could do was scream and cry. Things weren't perfect, but now they were nearly destroyed. How could this ever be fixed?

**_To anybody reading this, if you or somebody you know is suffering from a sexual addiction, there is help all around you! Please check out nofap dot com._ **


	15. How

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lola reflects on her past with Will while finding out what could become of their future.

**Hi, everybody! Talk about a crazy turn of events last chapter! Sometimes you have to hit below rock bottom to catapult back to the top!**

**Thank you so much to all those that reviewed and followed: DCTNFG, HermoineandMarcus, NALEY23alwaysforever, Natascha2Tata, M39151, and Ms. Isabella! Be sure to check out their stories, they are quite awesome!**

**Tony is a minor character in the _Chicago_ franchise, but Caleb Kleinfeld is an original character of mine played by the devastatingly handsome Scott Eastwood, son of legendary actor and filmmaker Clint Eastwood! He will be making an appearance later on in the story. My Pinterest FanFiction board will be open, I'll post a link on my profile as well as cast lists!**

elanamarino/fan-fiction/

**_Chapter Fifteen: How_ **

**_ALMOST SIX YEARS AGO_ **

_"Woo Hoo!"_

_Lola jumped out of Will's black, white and red race car, wanting to fly into the air from the high she was on._

_"Wow! That was exhilarating! No wonder you do this for a living! Talk about a rush!"_

_Will laughed, walking over from the sidelines. "You did better than I thought you would."_

_"What's that supposed to mean, Halstead?"_

_"Girls are notoriously bad drivers."_

_"Ha! That is such crap and you know it!" Lola smacked him playfully on the shoulder once he approached her. "Gabby Dawson-Casey is such a kick ass driver. I would totally want to be her best friend."_

_"I'll be sure to introduce you. I'm just saying it might be why there aren't many female drivers. Besides, that body should be in this outfit or the Luvabulls uniform, because you can't wear either one of them in a car. The actual race suit is way too bulky."_

_"Consider yourself lucky I even put this on."_

_This had been their first official date date, for they had gotten to know each other over the past almost month mainly from day long text messaging sessions and phone and Skype that lasted for hours. After they had gone out to dinner at one of the most exclusive five star restaurants in all of Chicago, Will had the race track open after hours and surprised her with the cutest short jumpsuit._

_It was black and long sleeved with a red stripe across the bust, checkered stripes on the sides and sleeves, embroidered patches of a pair of lips and racing flags, and a ring pull tab for the center front zipper. Although she didn't want to give him too much credit, Lola thought the jumpsuit and the little knee high socks and white sneakers he had waiting were the perfect mix of cute and sexy._

_"I do. When you got it, flaunt it, and you've definitely got it. Come on," he nodded his head to side, grabbing her hand. "let's take a stroll in the park."_

_They walked around the oval, looking up at the stars, the sky being so clear that every single constellation was visible._

_"Do you actually like racing or do you and your brother do it because your father did it?"_

_"I love racing, and I'd like to think I'm pretty good at it."_

_"Well, your numbers definitely reflect that you are."_

_"Ha, thanks. Although, there's times that I would have liked to have gone down a different career path. When I was little, I wanted to be a veterinarian or a zoologist, but as I got older I started taking pictures of Jay's races and that's how my love for photography was born."_

_"You're very well rounded."_

_He looked down at Lola. "You should let me take your picture some time. Have you ever considered modeling?"_

_She giggled, looking away so he wouldn't see her blush. "I've done a few things here and there. Music videos, some print work and a couple commercials, but it's tricky considering I just barely meet the height requirement."_

_"Nonsense. I've seen a lot shorter strut their stuff on the catwalk in Paris and New York Fashion Week. I could totally see you being the face of a huge brand, you trump most models in general. Not just in looks but in smarts and personalities."_

_"Thanks, maybe I'll take you up on that some day."_

_Sure, he was a bit cocky (she had a feeling that was by nature), but there was something very endearing about Will. So far, he was proving Lola wrong about the athlete stereotype._

_"Modeling would only be temporary though, as cheerleading is now. I mean, it's fun and all, but I just see myself doing more with my life. I've always been passionate about working with children, and I'd love to be a therapist or psychologist. You know, get inside their little heads and help mold their eager minds into the best they can possibly be."_

_"That's pretty altruistic, especially for somebody so young. Most girls your age are so self absorbed."_

_"Don't get me wrong, I like to do all the fun things people my age do in between school and work. Hang out with my friends, read, go to parties and shopping and dancing, travel, spend time with my family. I just know what's important and what's frivolous."_

_"You lead a very full life, Lola. Don't let anything or anybody stop you, you truly can do it all. I'm curious though, how does that tie in with dating?"_

_She shrugged. "I date here and there, nothing serious. Although, I'm open to more if I found the right person." Lola looked up at him. "Where do you see yourself in five years?"_

_Lola wasn't usually this forward with her future goals on first dates. Then again, Will was the oldest guy she had ever dated. He was sophisticated and smooth, she couldn't help but feel comfortable in his presence._

_"Definitely having won the Sprint Cup the most times in the history of NASCAR, a beautiful wife and a couple of kids by my side, spending summers at my Lake Como villa."_

_"A boy and a girl, right? With a cute little puppy?"_

_Will nodded with a smile. "Yep, gotta have a the puppy. Maybe a Siberian Husky or Golden Retriever."_

_"Those are good choices. I would love to have a family some day. How come you didn't with either of your first two wives?"_

_"With Zoe, we were just too young, we were barely out of high school when we got married and just old enough to drink when we got divorced. Kayla didn't want children at all, the main reason why we broke up. Natalie loved children, but the timing wasn't in our odds and she was too busy with her career. I still have hope though."_

_Casey was right, being a playboy was tiring, coming home to an empty house, or in Will's case, Jay and Erin's guest bedroom. A family would be great to have. Two children jumping up and down to see him when he walked through the door, a wife he could talk about their days with then make love to after the kids went to bed, it would certainly be the life. Will was a pretty good husband for the most part (when he wasn't stubborn), so being a pretty good dad would be natural for him. He had lots of experience with his nephew Ryder, not to mention Kelly's sons Cooper and J.J. and the other children of the rest of Chicago's NASCAR crew._

_"I'm sure she's out there."_

_They stopped walking, Will looking down intently at Lola. "Maybe she's closer than I think and I just don't know. Hey," he tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "what color are your eyes?"_

_"I have Heterochromia, so one is blue and one is gold."_

_"Ahh, interesting. They're exquisite, just like the rest of you."_

_"Oh, thanks." She giggled, looking down, only for him to lift her chin up with his finger._

_"I'm not kidding, Lola. You're insanely gorgeous. I could stare at you forever."_

_He leaned in to kiss her when she pulled away, suddenly feeling breathless, making him confused._

_"Are you alright?"_

_"Mmhmm. I haven't felt like this in a while. My dopamine and norepinephrine are spiked so high right now it's crazy."_

_Will nodded, even though he only had a half an idea what she was talking about. "Mine, too." He stroked her face. "You seriously have the most naturally perfect lips I've ever seen. I can't tell you how long I've wanted to kiss them for, probably since the first time I saw you. I really like you, Lola, and I really want to kiss you."_

_Lola did want Will to kiss her right now, but her judgments were clouding her desires._

_"You know, kissing is more mentally stimulating than sex. A person can tell if they'll fall for somebody upon the first kiss."_

_"Then fall."_

_Will took a step closer, lifting her face, her heart and body madly fluttering. The moment their lips touched, she lost her balance, grabbing onto his forearms, his hands on her hips to balance her. The scents of his musky cologne and the crisp evening air mingled with her cotton candy perf_ ume. He had been chewing Big Red gum earlier, the taste stinging her tongue in the most delightful of ways. She could have sworn she heard fireworks... Wait, this wasn't in her mind... They WERE fireworks! Except she also heard a soft yet familiar guitar melody followed by drumming over the loud speaker.

_Lola looked up to see a huge fireworks display in the sky set to the chorus of "Kiss Me" by Sixpence None The Richer. She pulled away, both of them in awe struck laughter._

_"Oh, my gosh! Did you do this?"_

_Will nodded, a huge grin on his face. "You bet I did. I've got Tony to thank." He turned them around and pointed to the glass encased broadcaster's box, both of them waving to a figure that was too high up to make out other than a hand waving back._

_The fireworks were a myriad of colors, most of them forming into hearts at one point. This was probably the most romantic thing anybody had ever done for Lola, she was quite touched._

_"I was wrong about you, so thanks."_

_Turning Will's head away, she kissed him again, more heated than before, making him laugh in satisfaction and happiness, her arms wrapping around his neck as he lifted her off the ground._

_It was truly a magical night, and both of them knew from that first kiss that they would only continue to fall._

* * *

 

"Ms. Morrison?"

Lola turned around when her name was questioned, seeing a man walk in that looked to be in his late twenties or early thirties.

"Yes?"

He smiled at her, revealing perfect pearly whites as he walked forward and extended his hand. "Hi, I'm Caleb Kleinfeld."

"I'm Lola." She returned the smile and shook his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Have a seat, please." Caleb motioned towards the chair in front of his desk where she had previously been awaiting his arrival.

Dressed in a dark navy blue suit, a white silver pinstriped button up shirt and a matching silk tie, he was very handsome. Dirty blonde, almost brown hair, piercing blueish green eyes and exquisite facial bone structure, Caleb should have pursued a career in modeling instead of law.

"I know this may sound corny, but have we crossed paths before? You look awfully familiar." He took in her features as they sat down. She was quite striking, what most men would describe as perfect, but he could tell she was a very sad soul.

"Oh, I've been on TV with my husband a few times, but nothing substantial."

Caleb shook his head. "No, I don't think that's it." He tapped his lip for a second before snapping his fingers. "I got it. Weren't you a cheerleader for the Chicago Bulls?"

"Yes, I sure was. Luvabulls for life." Lola replied with a smile.

"I saw you when I went to a couple games, did you happen to do modeling as well?"

"Briefly. Little things here and there, my biggest piece was a pin up girl ad campaign for La Perla. They had the billboards up everywhere."

"I can see why. If I'm not stepping out of bounds, I must say that you're as beautiful now in person than you were then." He smiled warmly, making her face flush.

"Oh, th-thank you." Lola blushed in her smile, restraining a giggle. There was something so sincere about Caleb that started to put her at ease.

"So, what has you interested in the firm of Jones, Clarke, Rice and McAuley?"

"Well, um..." Lola looked down at her freshly massaged and manicured hands. "I'm having some problems in my marriage. A few issues came to light and I wanted to figure out my options."

She hadn't even seen Will since yesterday, he must have received some advice from Dr. Charles because he had indeed given her space, but he had come back to the house at some point because his luggage that Lola packed and put in front of their bedroom door was gone.

Yesterday was still a lingering nightmare for her. After leaving Dr. Charles' office, she headed straight over to Justin's house. Luckily, Olive was out shopping and didn't witness the epic fist to face action that happened the second he opened the door. Lola totally went off on him about how could he let this happen and Will's family could be potentially destroyed.

All Justin did was laugh and say that none of this would have happened had she gone with him instead of Will, followed by him fondling one of her breasts and saying she still had the chance to make things right. The second his hand made contact with her skin was when Lola gave him a swift kick in the pants, bolting out of there while Justin fell to the floor in pain.

Lola had been so hysterical that she eventually threw up, sobbing and vomiting until she passed out on the cool bathroom tiles, crawling into bed when she finally awoke. It didn't help that when she finally turned the TV on that the Talladega race was advertised every other commercial, set to "We Own It" from _Fast and Furious 6,_ promising a real Halstead brothers showdown, projecting side by side images of them with a flaming background.

"My husband is Will Halstead, the race car driver. I didn't want to say anything when I called to make the appointment because you never know who will find out."

Caleb nodded. "Understandable. We're a pretty large firm, the privacy of our clients is a top priority amongst other things. Our clientele is made up largely of Chicago's rich and powerful."

"That's wonderful to know, definitely alleviates some of the stress. I didn't even make the appointment under my married name."

She had to be even more incognito than when she went to Dr. Tramble's office, which involved a heavier wig and darker sunglasses. At this point, Lola was starting to feel like Lady Gaga and not in a good way.

"I noticed. What are these problems if I may ask?"

Lola took a deep breath. Her heart hadn't been so jittery in the past few minutes talking to Caleb, but now the thoughts of Will's problems swirled in her mind.

"Addiction..." She whispered. "Mostly miscommunication though."

"Irreconcilable differences, then?" Caleb asked, looking up from the notes he was taking. "Possibly marital discord?"

"That sounds about right."

"Do you two have any joint assets or property?"

"Well, the house was custom built from the ground up and is in both of our names. The penthouse in New York is in his name, the mini mansion in St. Thomas and cottage in London were wedding presents to me, amongst other things. There's also the beach front properties in Miami and California, not to mention our villas on Lake Como and in Madrid. My Mercedes Benz and Cadillac Escalade are also in my name. Unlike his two previous wives, I didn't have to sign a prenup."

Will had made that decision all on this own. His father and the family lawyer kept sending them over, but all Will did was tear them up. He told Lola that he knew that she would be his final wife and that he trusted her with everything he has. Kirkland had been furious, but Will didn't care at all. Back then, he truly had love in his eyes.

All of those houses had such terrific memories. Paisley learning how to swim at Lake Como, saying her first words in London, her first steps in St. Thomas. The lavish vacations the three of them had gone on, sometimes Jay, Erin and the boys would accompany them. It was an absolute shame that Will's addictions now tainted their seemingly happy past.

"That's only good news for us, then. You're entitled to half of all his assets and revenue. What sources of income does he have in addition to the racing?"

"There's that, the endorsement deals for Apple and Gatorade, numerous television appearances, he's filming at least three today, and the conventions. His net worth is at least $400 million."

Combined, the entire Halstead family net worth was well over a billion dollars. Racing made them a pretty penny, but it was thanks to smart banking and worth investments that put them over the big top.

"Any children?"

"Yes, we have a little girl named Paisley." Lola pulled out her phone, showing Caleb a black and white picture Will had taken of Paisley on her birthday. "She just turned four a few days ago."

Caleb smiled when he saw it. "Awww, she's adorable."

"Do you have any children of your own?"

Immediately, Lola felt like an absolute idiot for asking that, considering his lack of a wedding ring.

"You seem pretty young."

"I just turned thirty last week, actually. It's hard to believe you have a four year old daughter, you look like you could still be in high school."

"I get that all the time."

"I do want them at some point. I'm the youngest of five boys, so there's pressure on me to settle down and have a family."

"I totally empathize. For five years it's been, "There needs to be a boy to carry on Will Halstead's dynamic legacy." Lola laughed, flipping her hair. Was it bad that she was acting like this? It came to her so naturally.

"That must have been tough. Do you work at all still or no?"

"I was going to school, but I retired early from the Luvabulls to be a full time parent."

It would have been nice if somebody else had done the same thing. He only took off two months, which was most likely after the interaction with that whore Zoya.

"I was recently cast to be on The Real Housewives of Chicago. In addition to that, I do have some money to my name. Either way, I know that if we get divorced it would eventually be public, I want someone who knows what they're doing."

"I'm sure the big leagues would be salivating to take your case, you wouldn't have any problem whatsoever."

"I know, but if I do decide to go through with this, I want it to be very quiet. There aren't a lot of demands on my end, all I want is a reasonable amount of child support and to keep the house. I already know he'd let me keep my jewelry."

She glanced down at her engagement ring and wedding band, how they sparkled in the sunlight through the window. It brought back such memories of happiness and love the days Will put them on her finger, she thought they'd be together forever. Who knew forever would only be five years?

"You'd be surprised at the divorce cases we get, they can drag out for years. I don't think I've ever heard a spouse wanting as little as you."

"... Is that a bad thing?" Lola asked, wanting to raise an eyebrow but knew it would be rude.

Caleb shook his head. "Not at all. It's very admirable, unpretentious, really. I hate to break it to you, but considering the status of your husband's career and now yours, it might not be the best time."

"When is the right time, Mr. Kleinfeld? My husband is addicted to pornography and strippers, if this ever became public it would destroy him. As heartbroken as I am, I couldn't bear it if that happened. Not only for our daughter, but for him and me."

In her words, she saw that Will was a broken man, but did she have the strength to piece him back together?

"It sounds like you love your husband a great deal. This is against me to advise, but do you think there's a possibility that things could be worked out?"


	16. Prince Peter Pan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lola arrives home to find that Will has returned from New York a day earlier than expected; Will and Lola spend the evening with Paisley albeit the tension; Paisley opens up about what she dreams of as a grown up, making Will further realize the damage he has done and the mistakes he has made; hoping to fix them.

**Hi, everybody! I'm proud to say I am now a licensed driver! Third time really was a charm! :D Interesting reaction to Caleb! I can't wait to see what you all think as the story progresses! Sorry if this chapter is a bit short, I'm trying to catch up to _FYGH!_**

**Thank you so much to all those that reviewed and followed: DCTNFG, HermoineandMarcus, NALEY23alwaysforever, Natascha2Tata, M39151, and Ms. Isabella! Be sure to check out their stories, they are quite awesome!**

**The Peter Pan complex seems quite apropos for Will. That and I couldn't help but crack up over Tinkerbell Halstead. Hahaha!**

**_Chapter Sixteen: Prince Peter Pan_ **

"Louise? Paisley? I'm home!" Lola called out as she walked into the laundry room from the garage, carrying three large shopping bags. "I got you the cutest outfits today, Paize. You're going to love them."

"Hey there."

Lola felt her heart stop the moment she saw Will in the family room with Paisley. Yes, she'd have to see him eventually, but she was hoping she had at least another day.

"Hey. Where's Louise?"

"I gave her the rest of the day off."

"What are you doing here? I thought you weren't coming home until tomorrow."

He got up from his spot on the couch and walked over to her in the foyer.

"I was but we finished our tapings early and weren't in the mood to party. Those shows film in a lot less time than you would think they do. Plus, Chicago is an hour behind." He looked her up and down. "You look great. Why so dressed up?"

"We had to film confessionals today."

This was half true, it just didn't take as long as she thought it would, leaving her plenty of time to see Caleb and partially heal her soul with some retail therapy.

"Oh, ok. Cool."

She took his chin in her hand, turning his head to the side to see faint traces of a black eye. "They did a hell of a makeup job on you."

He chuckled nervously. "Uh, yeah, I guess they did. I'm surprised there's still any left on me. I lost big time in Water War, I got six glasses of water thrown at me and doused with a Super Soaker."

"Really?" Lola couldn't help but smile a little. "I'm surprised, you're pretty good at that game."

"What can I say?" He shrugged. "The cards were against me tonight. Better than Egg Roulette though."

 _Damn!_ Lola thought to herself. _Had I known they were going to do Egg Roulette I never would have made that call._

There was a bit of awkward silence.

"So..."

"So..."

Will rubbed the back of his neck. "Um, I'm expecting delivery from Wood Ranch any minute. I didn't know if you'd be back or if you had plans with the girls, but I ordered you a salad with the tri-tip sliders and barbecued chicken."

She nodded. "Thanks, I appreciate it." Lola hadn't even eaten since yesterday morning, so the thought of barbecue had her famished. Alas, there were more important matters at hand. "After she goes to sleep, I'd like for us to sit down and have a serious talk."

"You took the words right out of my mouth. It's definitely something we both need."

"Mommy!"

Paisley ran up and hugged Lola's legs.

"Hi, sweetheart!" She bent down and gave her daughter a hug and kiss. "Did you have a nice day?"

Paisley nodded. "Uh huh. Look what Daddy brought me back from New York City!" She grabbed Lola's hand and dragged her into the family room, where there were giant puppets of Elmo and Cookie Monster.

"Wow, look at those!"

"Yeah! Daddy said they left _Sesame Street_ to come play with me in Chicago!"

"Awesome! I'm sure they're going to have lots of fun with you." Lola reached out, rubbing the fur on Elmo before looking up at the TV.

"What are you guys watching? _Frozen_?"

Paisley nodded. "Yeah, before _Big Hero 6_ and _Zootopia_! Daddy made me watch both _Cars_ movies, too."

"Sounds like a fun movie night! What's next?"

" _Peter Pan_. He has red hair, just like Daddy!"

"Haha, very funny, PJ." Will walked over. "You should probably wash up for dinner and get your jam-jams on. After Peter Pan it's time for bed."

"Alright, Daddy. Don't start the movie until I get back? Please?"

He nodded, rubbing her head. "You've got it, chickie."

Paisley ran out of the room and up the stairs. She was thrilled that Daddy was home, but he seemed a little off. Come to think of it, so was Mommy, even though lately she always looked sad. Maybe the movie would cheer them up.

* * *

 

"I can't wait to meet Tinkerbell!" Paisley squealed, watching as Peter Pan shook the pixie so the Darling children could get the dust to fly.

"You know she's not real, right, honey?" Will asked, but Paisley shook her head, her innocent spirit uncrushed.

"Not _that_ Tinkerbell, Daddy. I'm talking about Aunt Tinkerbell. That's what Hu Hu said she's naming the new baby! Tinkerbell Maroon."

Will rolled his eyes. "Oh, God. Tinkerbell Halstead?"

Lola bit her lip. "It's quite the change up. William, Jonathan and Tinkerbell. What would the diminutives be? Will, Jay and Tink. Or would they want to call her Tinky?"

Both of them exchanged a silent laugh, their first moment of much needed levity in more than a day.

"Did you ever notice the suicide innuendo in "You Can Fly"?" Lola asked as the song started with the foursome flying out the window of the Darling nursery.

Will looked at her. "What? No?"

The three of them had just finished eating Wood Ranch and were now watching _Peter Pan_. Paisley was on her stomach, viewing dreamily with her chin in her hands as Will and Lola were on the couch. It was a little uncomfortable sitting so close to each other, neither one of them entirely sure if Lola would punch Will again.

Lola nodded. ""Think of all the joy you'll find when you leave the world behind." That's a bit cryptic." She felt a lot better after changing into her favorite pink Juicy Couture tracksuit and eating, the delicious barbecue fueling her system.

Will thought on it before nodding, his eyes widened. "Oh, yeah! You're totally right. I can't believe I never thought of that before."

Lola was tempted to ask Will what he would do with himself if something like that would ever happen, there were days when it was all she thought about. He wouldn't be able to handle it, he'd probably go mad with guilt and grief, she could only hope. It would be tragically fitting, his betrayal contributing to her own downfall, but she couldn't do that to her child.

In the event that anything were to occur, Paisley would go to her parents, and if not, then Jay and Erin. Will and Lola were the appointed legal guardians for Ryder and Tripp, they would have to re-sign the papers again in less than three months when Mackenzie was born.

"I don't think many people realize it. Come to think of it," she nodded her head at the screen. "I can absolutely see the similarities between you two. You without a doubt have Peter Pan Syndrome, Will."

He threw his head back and laughed, trying to hide his embarrassment. "What's that supposed to mean? You're crazy."

"No, I'm not. You're a little boy in a grown man's body. All you want to do is race cars and party with your friends, you refuse to assume any real responsibility, especially when it comes to your family. Even down to the red hair."

"How could you even say that? I mean, you're right about the red hair, but not the rest. My life is like that show _Empire_. I run this town. I do it all, I think you're underestimating me a bit."

Lola shook her head, he would never understand, hindering his growth. "Keep telling yourself that, you never wore humility as well as you do arrogance. By the way," she looked up at his head. "I've noticed you're starting to get a couple white hairs. Better get that taken care of."

"What? I am?" He started frantically running a hand through his hair. How? He was too damn young!

"Don't worry, it's not that bad. It makes you look distinguished, I suppose. You're still kind of cute, after all, for a ginger."

She shifted closer to him, putting her head on his shoulder, taking him aback.

"What's this for? Not that I'm complaining." Will said, his arm wrapping around her waist, his fingertips stroking the couple inches of exposed skin.

For a moment, she forgot about all their issues and eased into his touch, but it couldn't last. There was too much that needed to be discussed.

"Just keeping up with the role." Lola replied lowly, watching how engrossed their daughter was with the Disney classic. "You keep forgetting I was a child psychology major. Children are very astute to their surroundings, and the last thing I want is for Paisley to catch on to our marital problems."

He shrugged. "Good point, although I'd like to think that she knows how much we love each other."

"Is that what you tell yourself when some random slut is grinding her bare snatch on your dick?" She looked up at him, her annoyance and disgust building. How could this have happened? It was the one question that kept repeating itself in over twenty-four hours.

"Lola-"

She shook her head, cutting him off. "You have it easy. You come and go as you please without having to worry about anything, throwing lavish gifts as your way of securing love. Meanwhile, I am the one that has to pull out all the stops like a goddamn Super Bowl halftime show to make sure she doesn't have a damn clue what's going on. I'd like to think that she doesn't know, but she's seen me."

It was a lot more difficult than she let on, Paisley was always asking why she was sad, Lola attributing it to something in the news or she'd give in and say she missed Will. Paisley did the best she could, giving her mother a hug and kiss and telling her she loved her and that Daddy would be home soon, but it didn't mean that she was entirely unaware.

Will felt terrible, wishing he had taken initiation before. "I know, and one day we're going to have to explain it to her."

"And taint her childhood forever? It's bad enough that she'll probably have a complex thanks to you and your father because she wasn't born with a penis, why not tell her what an asshole her father really is?" She glared at him, the anger rising all over again. He opened his mouth to speak, but she held her hand up to cut him off. "When she goes to sleep, I promise."

Lola looked away with something of an evil grin. All the ups and downs of their marriage and Will's addictions had brought out a more sinister side to her, she was almost surprised she hadn't had a nervous breakdown... yet. Good, let him feel the anguish and uncertainty that she had on an almost daily basis. It was about damn time the tables were turned.

 

* * *

 

"And the prince and princess lived happily ever after. The end."

Will noticed the romantic yet glazed look in Paisley's eyes as he put the storybook away.

"What's going on in that little head of yours, peanut?"

"I can't wait until I grow up and get married to my prince, and I know just who it's going to be."

He cracked a smile, looking down at his little girl. "Oh yeah, and who is he? Prince George?"

Paisley shook her head, giggling. "No. It's Cooper!"

"Cooper Severide?" Will raised an eyebrow. "Isn't he a little old for you? Maybe you should go after J.J. instead."

"True love has no age, Daddy."

He couldn't help but laugh, sometimes she was such a ham. "Ha ha, I suppose you have a point there. I'm almost ten years older than your mother."

"You're Mommy's prince, right, Daddy?"

Will heavily sighed, tucking her in. He was grateful that she was still young enough to be so naive. "I am, but as you get older, you'll find out that it takes a lot of work being married. Being an adult isn't so easy. You should enjoy being little while you can. That and I'm not ready for you to grow up just yet."

Considering the Halstead legacy, it was hard to determine whether or not Lola was a princess or a queen. To him, she was both, he simply had a very selfish way of showing it, which needed to be fixed.

"Ok, Daddy." She yawned, leaning back into her pillows.

"Sweet dreams, cutie pie."

Will bent down, exchanging a hug and kiss with his daughter. No matter what was going on in their marriage, the only thing Will and Lola were on the same page about right now was making sure Paisley was happy and well taken care of, which she seemed to be.

"Good night, Daddy. I love you."

Paisley closed her eyes, hugging her teddy bear to her chest, Cinderella and Mowgli curled up in balls at the end of the bed.

"I love you, too, Pasil. Good night."

He turned out the light and walked out of the room, watching her drift off to sleep before closing the door behind him.

Lola was waiting for him outside Paisley's bedroom, having seen and heard the whole interaction.

Even though he wasn't around as often as he should be or as attentive when he was, Will was a good father for the most part. Her heart still managed to melt seeing the two of them together, just like it had when they were dating and how he was with Ryder.

There were no words spoken, only the darkened hallway keeping them company. Boldly, Will stuck his hand out. All he wanted was an inkling of a touch. To his surprise, she laced her fingers through with his, leading him down the hall to discuss his mishaps and figure out their future.


	17. Fixer Upper

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will and Lola have a serious heart-to-heart regarding their marriage and family.

Hi, everybody! Sorry for the delay, I've been driving around in my brand new car! I still can't believe it! It's a 2016 Jeep Latitude that I've named "Cher'Tude" after Cher in Clueless! Hope everybody had an excellent 4th of July. Thank you so much to all those that reviewed and followed: DCTNFG, HermoineandMarcus, NALEY23alwaysforever, Natascha2Tata, M39151, and Ms. Isabella! Be sure to check out their stories, they are quite awesome!

Chapter Seventeen: Fixer-Upper

Will followed Lola inside their bedroom, closing the door behind them. When he turned around, Lola guided him to the bed, both of them sitting down Indian style. They didn't even bother to turn on the lights, the moon's glow acting as their electricity. They also didn't speak for several minutes, a lone owl in the distance being their music. Will decided to break the silence first.

"This may seem like a stupid question, but how are you feeling about everything? Apart from enraged." He didn't expect anything less from her and knew that whatever treatment he received was fully merited.

Lola took a deep breath before looking at him, personifying her Sad Eyed Princess title with her gaze.

"I'm very split on this. There's a part of me that wants to give you every ounce of love I have, to hug and kiss you, tell you that it's going to be ok."

He shook his head, wishing that that could happen and that he hadn't royally screwed things up. "I'd like that, more than anything, but let's be realistic. There's no way in hell I deserve it."

She scoffed. "Of course you don't. There's also a part of me that wants to wring your neck until your eyes bulge out of your head, then claw at them. If I had half a mind I'd kill you myself."

"You're completely justified, sweetie."

"Don't call me sweetie, it's serious time now. How could you do this, Will? Why didn't you come to me sooner, like when this whole mess with Zoya happened? Didn't you care about our family, didn't you care about me?" She choked back a sob, not wanting to do any more crying but knowing it was inevitable for how heartbroken she was.

The timing on this could not have been any worse. Will's birthday was on the 21st, the day of not one but two huge races, the Sprint Showdown and the NASCAR Sprint All Star Race, both at Charlotte Motorway.

Lola had been planning his surprise party for months, set to be an extravagant _Great Gatsby_ themed bash. They always went all out for the other's birthdays, Will threw Lola a huge birthday bash for her 21st, complete with a spectacular fireworks show and the original cast of _A Chorus Line_ performing "One". Unfortunately, the party would be filmed for the show so she couldn't back out, even though he didn't deserve it in the slightest.

"Lola," Will put his hand on her shoulder. "of course I cared. I didn't want to be a burden. You had your hands full with the baby and that wasn't easy. I honestly thought if I took care of it myself that it would go away, but it didn't."

It had been a desperate struggle, trying to cure his addiction, but somehow or another the battle was lost when he found himself looking up "Tribbing", "Big Tits" and "Strap On" in the Lesbian section on the various porn sites he visited.

_**Maybe if Lola would do that for a night... Just the thought of it gets my blood rushing... She's so damn sexy, it would be a dream come true to watch...** _

"What about our lives for the past almost six years, every single moment? It was nothing more than some custom designed fabrication. How can we move on after this?" As of right now, Lola heavily doubted if they even could.

He shook his head, both at her words and his perverse thoughts. "That's not true and you know it. Everything was real. The vacations and memories, laughs and smiles, even the arguments, all of that was real. We have to move forward, it's all we can do."

"How? I looked up that Zoya, she's disgusting. **_DIS-GUS-TING_**. I don't have enough time or synonyms in the world to tell you what I think of that home-wrecking slut and her level of attractiveness. At least the redeeming quality of both Zoe and Natalie is that they're pretty, even though I personally think Bitch Doctor looks stoned all the time. Are you sure Zoya is not a legit hooker? She looks like one. Every time I close my eyes, the only thing I can see is all these different women!" Lola let out an aggravated groan before smacking him across the face, taking Will back by surprise but he didn't flinch. "Fuck you, Will! I'm your wife, I'm the only one that's supposed to do that to you! We took vows, we made a child, we're bonded for life. Aren't I enough for you?"

She finally let her tears fall, so frustrated with these current predicaments, burying her face in her hands. Lola had actually tripled the snortage her anti-depressants this morning but it never felt like enough.

Those pills were never as strong as they should have been. This was all making her wonder if she should inquire further from Bobby about getting cocaine. No matter how many times that kid went to rehab and detoxed he always found a way to score.

It would be the life she never dreamed of happening. Leaving Paisley with Will do he would be forced to take care of her for longer than a few hours or even a day while she partied. She already had the snorting down and had seen Chili do coke quite a few times, mixed with booze and some hot, sexy young boys... The nights of wild partying had been short lived when a ring was put on her finger and a child in her belly. Maybe Peter Pan was right, think of all the joy you'll find when you leave the world behind.

_**WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU, LOLA?! GET IT TOGETHER, NOW!** _

She knew it was nothing more than ludicrous thinking, but what had she ever done to deserve this?

"Lola, please don't cry. It breaks my heart."

The tears he had were real, but he didn't dare blink. Lola couldn't tell how genuine this was regardless of how sad he looked.

" _You_ break my heart! And you have for such a long time. I'm seriously thinking about leaving you, I can't deal with this anymore and I sure as hell don't deserve it. I love you but I don't know if it's enough."

"Lola, no." Will grabbed her forearms. "Baby, don't be like that. You know I'll take care of you and Paisley no matter what... If you leave me, I'll die."

"Oh, grow the fuck up!" She threw his hands of her, almost shoving him off the bed. "You're such a drama queen. Who can trust your word?"

Luckily for me, I didn't sign a prenup. Financially, that little girl will never suffer. It's everything else I can't fix by myself.

"No marriage is a dream and I know I need help. I had a long discussion with Dr. Charles yesterday about my addictions after you left."

Her temper calmed down a bit upon hearing that. "You did?"

**_Maybe he's being sincere this time._ **

He nodded. "Yes, I did. He referred me to a specialist that I really think will work. I need it or else my life will fall apart, it already is falling apart. You have the biggest heart of anybody I know, there has to be some way you can give me another chance."

Lola found herself pondering his words. What if he was serious? It was quite the problem, he did seem eager and willing to get help for it, but there was no way in hell it was an easy pass for being off the hook.

"Well, the odds are in your favor. Even if I wanted to, I can't divorce you right now because of the show. That doesn't mean you're completely off the hook, I'm still considering it."

Already _Real Housewives of Chicago_ was controlling their lives, but Caleb was right with the timing being all wrong. This was the kind of thing that would be better after the filming. If it happened during, the entire focus of the show would shift to Lola's marital problems, which she didn't want, for it would be bound to cause tension with her other cast mates

"What can I do to convince you otherwise?"

For the first time, Will Halstead was actually desperately, and a sick part of Lola loved seeing the mighty eagle stricken down.

"Tell the truth for starters. You swear you never slept with anybody else but me? Because I'm worried that I'm at risk of contracting some STD."

Panic swelled up inside despite her cool demeanor, thinking of what he could have possibly given her. What if it was AIDS? She had just gotten tested recently but it was still nerve wracking.

He shook his head. "Of course I swear it. I never slept with anybody. Was I tempted? Unfortunately. Did I go through with it? Not a chance. Our vows mean too much to me, you mean too much for me."

"Save your performance for the Academy, Michael Fassbender. You've certainly got a fucked up way of showing people how much you care about them." She heavily sighed, hoping she wouldn't regret this later. "I know that this is insane and that some women would consider it cheating, but I do think I could find it in my heart to forgive you, because in hindsight it could have been so much worse. Here I was thinking you had a whole other family behind my back."

Will exhaled in relief, a hopeful smile gracing his face and happy tears in his eyes. "Oh, my gosh. Lola, baby, I can't tell you how thankful I am right-"

"Whoa! Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Lola held her hands up and scooted back to escape the hug and kiss he was trying to give her. "I didn't mean right this second, I meant in time."

He nodded, slightly disappointed but understanding. "You're right, I'm sorry I was so presumptuous."

"We need to lay everything out on the table, no more secrets, no hidden decks. I have to see all your so-called "sex tapes", that's the first thing."

Will shook his head. "Lola, no. I couldn't do that to you. Haven't you been through enough?"

"You'll know when it's enough. I always find a way to leave a trace of my mark."


	18. Proceed With Caution

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lola gives Will her demands.

**Hi, everybody! Sorry for the delay again, I'm trying to sort out my transcripts and return back to school! I can't add my classes until the 25th, which has me worried considering the class I need is filling up! Thank you so much to all those that reviewed and followed: DCTNFG, HermoineandMarcus, NALEY23alwaysforever, Natascha2Tata, M39151, and Ms. Isabella! Be sure to check out their stories, they are quite awesome! I apologize in advance for the dark turn that this chapter takes...**

**_Chapter Eighteen: Proceed With Caution_ **

**_THREE HOURS LATER_ **

"Don't stop! Don't stop! Don't stop! Ahh, Will!" Lola shrieked. Both of their naked bodies were practically glued together from sweat, her head in between his ankles as he ground her hips on him to control the thrusting, on the floor of their brand new bedroom where their marital bed was going to be. They had just finished the renovation process of their dream house and were getting ready to move in. She gasped, trying to catch her breath with Will letting out a loud groan, exploding inside her, crawling up to her level afterwards.

"God, that was so fucking incredible." Will said, kissing her collar bone.

"It was. You're such an amazing lover, Will." Lola pulled his head up gently, giving him a kiss, her fingers massaging his head. "Much better than any other boy I've been with."

Will chuckled before moving the hair out of her face. "That's because I'm a man, sweetheart. I can make you see things you'd never believe existed."

"I'd like to see you try, but I know you can. You're my lion, always here to protect me and keep me safe from everything and anything at all costs."

"That's my job, because you're my lioness."

They kissed again before Lola leaned back on the plush carpeting. "Do you think this time was the charm?"

He nodded. "Oh, I know it is. I love you, Lola. You mean so much to me. I can't wait for us to start our family."

She smiled dreamily up at her husband. "I love you, too, Willby. Now and forever. I can't wait to finally give you babies, they're going to be so cute!"

Lola paused the video when they kissed a third time, looking over at her husband.

"You were spot on, that _was_ the night we made Paisley."

Will had the gall to smile, but in this moment it was allowed. "It's one of my favorites."

"That's the last one? Are you sure?"

He nodded. "Yes."

"How did-"

"I had my ways."

Lola looked at the screen, her younger self over the moon in love. There had been so many kisses for them in those days. If only she could have gone back in time and told herself to run.

"I'm speechless, yet at the same time there are a million things fighting to break through my lips and fly into the air. I know you inside out now, just as well as I've known myself. I've seen you and your conquests in a light that will haunt me for days to come. One question comes to mind that I can't find an answer to yet: Was that my husband or was that some selfish man whore? What made you stop all that by the time you met me?"

Maybe she shouldn't have watched these videos, but it was too late. Her husband's previous sex life had been something of a kinky twisted tale, complete with golden showers, flogging and rim jobs, all of it on both ends. With the others, it was different, she wouldn't see them again, but how could she ever look Tawny Rae in the eye after this?

Will shrugged, giving her a sheepish expression as he closed his laptop. "I'll try anything once, I'm a daredevil. You were so young and innocent, I had gotten it out of my system by then. I didn't want to corrupt you."

"No, you saved the corruption for after I married you and bore your child. It fits with your occupation, being a daredevil, but that still doesn't answer my question."

"You can't compare me then to me now, we're two different people. I've grown a little bit with each marriage, I was sowing my wild oats. I'm way more mature now than I was with Zoe, Kayla and Tawny Rae. If I had to rank them, I'd say I've had the most growth with Natalie and you. I'm a father now because of you, Lola."

Lola scoffed, her eyes so tempted to roll. "Please, don't mention her. I still can't believe she acts holier than thou but actually has a clit piercing or what you ate out of her-"

"Alright, I get the point."

She enjoyed watching him squirm, seeing his vulnerability. Was it making her a masochist? No. He deserved it.

"This isn't going to go away easily. I have demands. I've bent over backwards in every aspect for you, it's time for things to be quid-pro-quo now."

"I thought it already was."

Lol shook her head. "Not even close, not in the real world." She got off of the bed and started pacing in front of it, her arms crossed over her chest. "First things first, you're moving into the guest room with the exception of filming days."

Will scrunched his eyebrows up. "What?! Lola-"

"Let me finish!" She snapped, glaring him down. "On filming days, we have to put on a show, you know the drill. Gotta keep the viewers happy, it's why you're a favorite in NASCAR."

"Can't it just be for a trial period? Like a couple days?"

"More like a couple months. Maybe less, maybe more. It all depends on me along with if/when I see you fit to return. In addition to whatever you have going on with this specialist, we're going to continue marriage counseling with Dr. Charles. It couldn't hurt and if you ever expect me to fully take you back, we'll need his guidance."

He nodded. "Not a problem, I'm all for it. He's a good man, very kind and intelligent."

"Good, I knew I liked him. These last two are specifically for me. I'm going to be returning to school in the fall to continue my education. Perhaps I could still become a child psychologist after all. If not, Sylvie said the Luvabulls need a new choreographer, so that's definitely something I'm interested in, except before that I am doing the Maxim shoot."

Will shook his head. He was fine with everything else, but not that. "No, out of the question." He was open for compromise, but didn't want to lose his control entirely.

"You don't have a foot or leg to stand on here, Will. I've already talked to Mouse and he's agreed to find me work. You're a porn addict yet you don't want me to pose for some "jerk off" magazine. Hypocrite much?"

"I just don't want you to be subjected to sexplotation."

"It's a photo shoot, not a porno. Or would you rather it be the latter? Maybe that would get your attention."

"Don't be absurd."

"How does it feel to have all your mistakes thrown back in your face? Not very good, huh?"

**_This is so unlike me to do this to somebody I care about, but it's been a long time coming._ **

He hesitated, wracking his brain in despair to prevent her from doing this. Finally, he snapped his fingers. "What about Paisley?"

"I'll figure it out somehow, work around her schedule." Lola sat back down on the bed again, across from him. "That's another thing. You need to spend more time with her."

Out of her demands, this was the one that Lola wanted the most. Even if it meant never having a life of her own and being a prisoner of his success forever, as long as Paisley was well adjusted, nothing else mattered. That's just how good of a mother she was, sacrificing her own happiness for that of her child's.

"You make it seem like I'm a ghost. We spend lots of time together."

"Will, she's four years old. These years are so crucial in her little life, I can't keep playing the role of both parents. You need to stop being in denial and step up to the plate with your whole heart instead of your bank accounts or it's going to destroy her later on when she's older."

Paisley had thrown a few temper tantrums before (what toddler didn't?), but they were pretty mild and she was a well behaved little girl. The thought of teenage Paisley doing something outlandish such as crashing cars, taking drugs and being promiscuous just to get Daddy's attention had Lola terrified.

"That's not true. I love her, she's my baby, my first born. I can't help it that I'm so high in demand."

"You better figure it out and strengthen your bond because as of now, Paisley is the only child you're ever getting out of me."

Lola was even further perturbed, would he ever listen or would he always be a stubborn asshole?

"Fine, whatever you want, Lola. You're right, I need to be a better father." Will took her hand, glad that she didn't flinch. "I'm going to go above and beyond my best to make sure you fall in love with me again."

"I love you already, but I have a lot of doubt, like if you even love me anymore."

The thought of it made her want to cry, thinking of the times when she would never have to question such a thing.

Will's other hand caressed her cheek, masking her sadness. How could he have put this lovely young girl through such a cruel calamity?

"Honey, of course I love you. I know what I need to do to fix our marriage. You can count on me."

"Can I?"

"Yes."

Even if he had temptations and second thoughts, he couldn't let it further corrupt him or his morals.

"I do love you."

He leaned in and kissed her, taking Lola by surprise. The kiss was sweet, pushing her woes to the back of her mind as she pulled him in closer. That's all she wanted to do, kiss and love their problems away, but it wasn't possible.

Will unzipped her jacket top, revealing bare breasts, making him smile as his hand went down the front of her pants. Lola knew she should push him away, that if she slept with him right now it would defeat the purpose of the past few hours, but didn't she deserve some TLC also?

"Lola, I love you so much."

She moaned softly as he kissed her neck and stroked her lower lips, her hands running through his hair.

"I do. You're so beautiful."

He started kissing her mouth again, their heated tongues crossing back and forth as his fingers probed inside her. It wasn't until Lola heard Will's zipper that she attempted to push him off.

"Will..."

"I love you more than anything."

He pressed himself into her, grinding his hips, practically pinning her on the mattress, his mouth on her breast and his hardness on her leg. Will's physical strength was starting to overpower her, the lights were on in the room but the world was turning dark.

"I don't think we-"

"Then don't think. You've done enough thinking for one day. Just relax."

With each protest the speed of his fingers and tongue accelerated, his other hand pulling down one side of her pants. Lola couldn't help but squirm, her body numb and her mind overtaken by lust, but this couldn't go any further.

"Will, stop it! That's enough!"

She shoved him off of her and zipped her jacket up, trying to get herself together while Will was dumbfounded.

"What's the matter?" He asked, putting himself back in his jeans.

Lola scoffed rather than smacking him across the face. "What's the matter?! Are you friggin' kidding me?! We just have this super intense break down of our marriage and somehow in your sick, twisted brain that's a signal to put the moves on me?!"

His mouth was slightly hanging open, his expression unchanged. "I'm sorry I just thought-"

"Well, you thought wrong."

"All I was trying to do is show how much I love you."

Lola restrained the eye roll she was dying to make. "You are such a moron, Will. Congratulations, now I'm even more ticked off than before. Kindly leave, please."

Will shook his head, trying to backpedal.

"Lola, I-"

"Get the hell out of my bedroom."

"But I-"

"Now!" She snapped her fingers and pointed to their bedroom doors. "I'm not kidding, Will! I'll shove you out like I did last time."

He heavily sighed and got up. "Fine. Like I said, it's whatever you want."

"Ha, yeah, because what almost happened is _exactly_ what I wanted." Lola snorted back a laugh, her eyes ablaze. "You are nothing like the Will Halstead I met and married. That man is a dead and distant dream and has been for quite some time. What would people say to what you just tried to do?"

Will looked down, knowing she was right. He hadn't meant for it to go that far, he desperately wanted to be with her.

"I don't know, but I do know I don't want anybody to find out."

"Then don't fuck with me, Will." She narrowed her eyes at him. "Just as I have brought you up, I can bring you down just as swiftly, until you're nothing more than ashes of the once great Halstead fire that burned so bright in the NASCAR world. Got it?"

He nodded. "Yes, I understand. Please get some sleep."

Will didn't have the heart to tell her that both Louise and their maid Inez told him from their living quarters they could hear Lola crying late into the night.

**_This is all my fault. I have to find a way to fix this._ **

 

"Lola? Lola, wake up. It's a big day for you today."

"Hmm?"

Lola lifted her head up from her pillow to see Will sitting on the edge of the bed, shaking her lightly.

"Will?"

He smiled at her. "Hi, beautiful. How'd you sleep?"

"Fine, I guess."

It hadn't been nearly as restless as the night before, thank goodness. She wouldn't mind sleeping for the rest of the day.

"I brought you a fresh cup of coffee, you're going to need it." Will set down the coffee, the blended aroma of Colombian and coconut awakened Lola fully.

"Why is that?"

"I have the best hair, makeup and wardrobe stylists, literally the top in Chicago, all downstairs waiting to give you the photoshoot of your dreams."

Lola sat straight up, unable to believe his words. "Excuse me? Photoshoot for what?"

"For you, sugar. You said you wanted to give modeling a try again and I'm here to help you out, starting with head shots and portfolio pictorials."

"You're joking, right?"

The last time Will had been "supportive" of her modeling career, it was immediately withdrawn. What if this was some sort of cruel tease... again?

Will shook his head. "No, it's not a joke. You said you were going to pursue this and I'm here to support you all the way. That's what husbands do for their wives, they stand behind them, just like you've done for me."

**_Yes, I was literally standing in your shadow._ **

"I can't, Paisley-"

"Has already been dropped off at preschool by yours truly. April and Kelly are going to pick her up afterwards and take her and the boys out to the zoo and the Navy Pier. Knowing PJ, there's bound to be an ice cream stop at Sub Zero somewhere in the middle."

Lola allowed herself a laugh at that. Sub Zero was a liquid nitrogen ice cream shop that made frozen delicacies via the customer's own creations. Paisley was on a mission to try every single concoction possible. Thank goodness she brushed and flossed regularly.

"Will, I don't know, I-"

"You can do this, we both know you can. You're stunning and should be in front of a camera all the time."

"I already am, more or less."

Will shrugged. "Well, you know what I mean." He put his hand on her face. "Lola, I've been a real prick lately and I'm trying to repent and redeem myself for it. I know it won't be overnight, but I need to start somewhere, I figured this was it. So what do you say?"

A part of Lola was still skeptical, but this is how Will was when they were first together, and she couldn't help but feel nostalgic. Maybe this photo shoot was what she needed to pull out of her funk.

"Ok, I'm game."

He smiled, gripping her other hand. "That's my girl. Come on, let's get ready."

 

"Lola, look over here, hun. Give me attitude, like you rule the world."

Lola laughed as her picture was taken, showing off perfect teeth. "Oh, honey, I will rule the world."

She posed exactly like she had been taught by her mother, what she had picked up from magazines, and what came naturally. Having a personal DJ helped, playing "Confident (The Alias Remix)" by Demi Lovato and "Wild For You" by Sleep Machine, the music allowing her to get lost in the fantasy.

Alvin Olinsky was one of the top photographers in not only the industry, but in the world. He shot everybody from Janice Dickinson and Andy Warhol at Studio 54 to Leonardo DiCaprio and Salma Hayek for _Vogue_ last year. It was quite the coup to be photographed by him, especially when he said that Lola had the it factor.

Shooting with Baby Cuddles the boa constrictor was a bit nerve wracking, having him wrapped around her nude body, recreating the iconic Richard Avedon serpent picture and Jennifer Lawrence's 2014 _Vanity Fair_ magazine spread. Luckily, his trainer was on stand-by the whole time and even got Baby Cuddles to give her kisses, making Lola laugh. As far as Rafika, the baby white headed capuchin monkey, she was a doll. Will had offered to buy her for Lola but she declined. The jungle portion was quite fun, very _King Kong_ meets "Roar" by Katy Perry with lots of leopard print and bright colors.

Lola truly felt like a model, having the stylists making such a huge fuss over her hair and makeup to match her outfits perfectly. From sultry to old Hollywood glamour, red lips and big eyes, even some in the pool and a vintage 1969 Cadillac convertible. The wardrobe ranged from long gowns to mini dresses to hardly anything at all.

Will was the perfect gentleman, making sure she was comfortable in front of the camera, hydrated between takes and properly covered when they did the semi-nude shots that were tasteful but still left something to the imagination. He got an enormous ego boost when everybody constantly told him how striking Lola was, so much so that he ended up taking the remainder of the pictures. Alvin had managed to get a couple shots of the two of them together and a few more when Paisley came home.

Lola wasn't sure how much of this was sincere or if it was nothing more than a production, considering the RHOC crew were rolling their cameras throughout the whole thing. Either way, Will had been more attentive and accommodating than he had in a long time, and that was what made Lola happy, what gave her a glimmer of hope that they could work through their current marriage problems.

It truly was the perfect day... until Will caught a glimpse of the evening news to see a snapshot of a familiar blonde. She had been slain in her bed, the details incredibly limited, he'd have to find out from somebody in Chicago P.D. He was both relieved and unsettled, relieved that the guilt and paranoia looming over his head the past few years was gone, unsettled of what the CSI would find. What if they came looking for him?

When Lola walked by the family room and saw his flabbergasted expression, the only thing she had to say was a reminder of that she'd always find a way to leave a trace of her mark.


	19. Headgasket

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will and Connor come to blows and face the wrath of NASCAR head Sharon Goodwin and Cassie Rhodes; Trudy and Mouch discuss Lola; Lola is almost caught by Will.

**Hi, everybody! Sorry for taking so long, I'm finally back in school! It's pretty great :). I've also been working on my _Suicide Squad_ story _Angel of Malice._ Now that _Chicago_ is back, I'll be updating more. I gotta say, I'm really liking Nina! She's a breath of fresh air, especially for Will. I hope Trudy makes it next week on _PD_! THEY CAN NOT KILL HER OFF, SHE'S MY HOMEGIRL! **

**Thank you so much to all those that reviewed and followed: the guest reviewers, DCTNFG, HermoineandMarcus, NALEY23alwaysforever, Natascha2Tata, M39151, and Ms. Isabella! Be sure to check out their stories, they are quite awesome! I am so thrilled to finally be posting again! :)**

**Also, I've cast Sylvester Stallone as Danny and Steve's father/ Velocita Motorsports team owner Giuseppe Borelli.**

**_Chapter Nineteen: Headgasket_ **

"And Will Halstead takes the lead, winning the race!"

Will pumped his fist outside the window of his car, doing his victory lap around the track. Next to his Paul Newman watch, Talladega was also his good luck charm. He never lost and it was where he had the wedding of the century.

Ahh, Lola. Will had seen her cheering once he crossed the finish line, knowing she would be ecstatic. Things between them were still tense but slowly warming up, although he continued to have an uneasy feeling about Zoya's murder. Even after he spent thousands and thousands of dollars on that impromptu photo shoot, Lola still made him sleep in the guest room. Hopefully, she'd follow through with her victory sex promise. More than anything, he just wanted his wife back.

"Will!"

The triumphant ginger turned around to see Connor Rhodes heading towards him, and he did not look happy.

"Ahh, Connor. What can I help you with? Good job out there." Will said, taking off his helmet, wiping the sweat from his forehead with the back of his driving glove.

"Same for you, maybe a little too good."

"What are you trying to say?" Will asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm just curious how you can go from doing your career worst to placing first in exactly a week. What is it, Will? Some sort of aerodynamics or tire manipulation?"

Will glared down the dark knight. "Are you accusing me of what I think?" He chuckled facetiously. "You gotta be out of your goddamn mind."

Connor shook his head and folded his arms across his chest. "I'm not, something is up and I'm going to get to the bottom of it."

"Listen, Rhodes," Will stepped closer to him. "you know better than to question me when I bust my ass practicing, so don't be a sore loser. Go cry to your wife and leave me alone."

"Don't you dare bring Cassie into this. While we're on the topic of wives, how do you think poor sweet Lola would react if she were to find out that you had-"

Will hauled back and punched Connor square in the jaw before he could even finish his sentence, not just out of anger, but for secrecy's sake. They both knew what he had meant to say.

Lola was waiting for Will off to the sidelines, knowing what a heated race it had been, but she was flabbergasted to see him punch Connor. She loudly gasped, her hand flying to her mouth.

"No!" She shouted once she finally got her composure together, even though there was no way in hell that he could hear her. "Will, stop that!" There was nothing she could do, both Will and Connor were shoving and punching, one backing the other up against their cars. A few other drivers tried to pull them off but it was no use, the cameras were swarming them as Ethan Choi and Jay tried to break up the fight, which was getting quite nasty.

"Jesus Christ, are you kidding me?" Erin mumbled under her breath, focusing on Lola. "Don't look, it'll be ok." She wrapped her sister-in-law up in a hug, knowing that Lola was on the verge of tears. "It'll be alright, Lolee."

Honestly, she didn't blame her. If Jay pulled these shenanigans, her reaction would be the same. Will was just the true definition of a child. He needed a swift kick in the pants. How could he do this to his family?

"Momma, what's going on?" Tripp asked his mother.

He and Paisley were trying to get a better look but Lola and Erin blocked them.

"Nothing, babe."

"Mommy, where's Daddy?" Paisley tugged at her mother's jeans. "I want to give him a good job kiss."

Lola glanced over her shoulder to see Will shouting obscenities as Jay and Adam dragged him away, Ethan and Kelly holding Connor back. The last thing she wanted was for Paisley to see her father acting in such a barbaric fashion.

"He's busy doing interviews right now, Paize, but soon, ok?"

What the hell happened that had gotten him so riled up?

**_THE NEXT DAY_ **

**_NASCAR HEADQUARTERS, MIAMI, FLORIDA_ **

"Five hundred and three million hits on YouTube, one hundred seventy one million retweets on Twitter, one hundred and fifteen million shares on Facebook, not to mention that every single news outlet has the story. Care to explain yourselves, boys?"

Will and Connor were being grilled by Sharon Goodwin, the president of NASCAR and wife of Gaffney Group team owner Bert Goodwin. She had immediately been informed of the debacle and flown them out the next day, along with their respective team owners who were currently sitting behind them. So far, it had not been pretty. Hank had been more subdued but Kirkland threw an absolute shit fit when the fight went down, even going as far as to punch Will again.

Will and Connor simultaneously pointed at the other. "He started it." They looked at each other in confusion before that morphed to anger. "No, he did! No, he did!"

"Enough!" Sharon slammed her palm down on the table, making the five men jump. She was a short and voluptuous African American woman with warm brown eyes, freckles across her nose and a sharp dresser with an immaculate collection of suits. Sharon Epatha Goodwin exuded grace and confidence with every step she took. Being the first female head of NASCAR in a male driven world, she was proving all the naysayers wrong and shining through.

"You two should be appalled at your behavior! Whatever issues you have with one another, it is not to be brought on to the track under any circumstances! Leave it at home where it belongs and conduct yourselves as gentlemen! What do either one of you have to say for yourselves?"

"Ms. Goodwin, Connor was falsely accusing me of cheating."

Connor rolled his eyes. "M'am, are you going to sit there and tell me that it's not a little suspicious how he went from thirty third to first in a week?"

She didn't want to falter, running a hand through her short black hair. These two had given her a blasting migraine since yesterday, she wasn't joking when she said the spat had circulated all over the news and social media. Needless to say, it was quite the embarrassment. She could only imagine how Will's wife Lola was handling all this. Sharon couldn't help but feel badly for the "Sad Eyed Princess". After all, she was married to the King Jackass Supreme of NASCAR.

"I think your actions were highly irreprehensible. They brought about shame and disgrace to your teams, your sponsors and your reputations, not to mention embarrassment of your fellow drivers and peers. You're a veteran of the sport, Will. It's been in your blood and Jay's your whole lives, which is why you of all people should especially know better. You have a little girl, what's going to happen when she sees this and asks questions?"

Will nodded, ignoring what she said about Paisley. "I know, Ms. Goodwin, and you're absolutely right. I really don't know what else I can say other than offer my sincerest apologies and promise it will never happen again." He tried to smile at her but she wasn't taking it, everybody in the room quite aware how he narrowly avoided her question regarding Paisley.

"I'm sorry as well, Ms. Goodwin. I should have known better than to ruffle Will's rather sensitive feathers."

Connor and Will glared down at each other.

"Bite me, Rhodes." The ginger hissed at the raven haired beauty of a man.

"Yeah, I'd like to literally bite your head off, so don't tempt me."

"Boys..." Hank scolded, feeling another fight about to break out.

Taking the cue, Will and Connor diverted their gazes away from each other and back towards Sharon.

"You can promise me the moon coming down to earth on a lasso, I don't care. This is not going to be taken lightly at all and there have to be consequences to set an example to the rest of the league on what happens when you break the rules."

Connor nodded. "Absolutely. I wouldn't expect anything less."

Will just rolled his eyes. Such a goody two shoes kiss ass.

Sharon took a deep breath, not wanting to take such a gamble but knowing she had to. If they got off with only a slap on the wrist, it would further go to Will's already over-inflated ego. "There will be a 250 point deduction, a five race suspension and I'm fining you both $40,000."

Will scoffed in shock. "I'm sorry, what? You have to be kidding me, you can't do that! I'm the reigning Sprint Cup champ! "

"Yes, and I'm the head honcho, honey. I can do what I want. You'll have plenty of time to think over what you did, I'm sure Lola and Paisley will enjoy having you home."

Will nearly swallowed his tongue. What was she implying with that dig? He was an excellent father, maybe not the best husband but they were working on it.

"Sharon," Giuseppe spoke up. "don't you think that's a bit harsh? Yes, Big Red Jr. over here was undeniably barbaric out on the track. Heartmelter was no Prince Charming either, but come on. The sport will suffer without them. Numbers don't lie, and it's these two that are keeping them up." He said with a smile.

Giuseppe Borelli had been considered ruggedly handsome in his day, and even now was still compared to Rocky Balboa. Nonetheless, he never lost his charm, which seemed to be working on Sharon.

"He's right, Sharon." Kirkland chimed in. "The bitter rivalry between these two is what's putting asses in the seats race after race. You know what they say, all press is good press. Product sales of both their sponsors have nearly tripled since yesterday."

Hank shook his head. "Forget that. We're all aware of the politics of the sport, but that isn't my argument. These two knuckleheads at the moment have such heart and soul for this sport, and it's reflective in the fan bases, if that's where we're trying to head."

Hank had been the peacemaker while Kirkland had nearly gone ballistic, it seemed to have always been like that, from the time the boys were little until now. He was aware of Will's newfound aggression, even though he hadn't said anything in so little words. What was bothering him so much and why couldn't he come to him about it? Hank could only assume that it was most likely problems at home, Lola looked so depressed lately..

Sharon heavily sighed, knowing they were right. She wasn't a pushover, but she had to bend things a little, the sport could never afford such a lengthy loss of the two biggest stars at the moment.

"The fine is still the same, three race suspension and a 100 point deduction."

"What about the car?" Connor asked.

"If it's bothering you that much, we'll have it further looked into."

Will scoffed. "You have got to be kidding me. How can you allow this to happen?! I'm not-"

"Mr. Halstead, enough!" Sharon nearly barked. "I highly suggest that both of you take this time to reflect on this incident in order to avoid something of this caliber from occurring again."

"This is unbelievable, like the free-for-all punch Will Halstead season. First my dad, then my wife, now pretty boy Rhodes." He laughed sarcastically, unable to believe the events of the past couple of months.

* * *

 

"I understand. Thanks so much for checking up on me, Trudy. It means a lot."

"You're welcome, sweetheart." Trudy said over the phone, watching her son practice on the race track from the upper deck lounge. "Let me know when you get back to Chicago, ok? Take care." She hung up the phone and shook her head. Having known both Halstead boys since they were teenagers, Will's hot headed nature hadn't been surprising, but he had never lashed out like this.

"How's she doing?" Mouch asked as he walked up, handing his wife a Bloody Mary and kissing her cheek.

"She says she's fine, but I can just tell she's not. Honestly, I don't know if she's as cured as she claims to be."

He shrugged, sitting in one of the lounge chairs. "Postpartum depression isn't an overnight fix, she could still have a trace of it after all this time."

Not long after Paisley was born, Lola had a very severe case of postpartum depression, to the point where she couldn't even leave her bedroom. Erin and Jay had Paisley stay with them and Will had taken two months off from racing to help her recover, which seemed to have helped but now everybody was speculating if she was really ok.

"They're trying to have another baby."

Trudy scoffed, sitting next to her husband. "That's the last thing they should be doing, not until she gets better, at least. He needs to fix his marriage. Do you think he's cheating on her?"

Mouch shrugged, wrapping an arm around Trudy. "Honestly, I hope not."

"It would break her heart, and what about Paisley? Lola is the best girl Will's been with, he'd probably pick up some trailer trash like Tawny Rae again. I hope Dr. Charles can help them like he did us."

Trudy had really come to care for Lola over these past few years, it would upset her if something bad happened.

"I'll drink to that. Dr. Charles is the best, he knows what he's doing."

They clinked glasses and kissed before sipping their drinks, watching Sullivan

* * *

 

Lola looked at herself in the lobby mirror after hanging up with Trudy, it had been so sweet of her to call. She ran a hand through her hair, she had noticed lately that it was thinning on the top, everything was. If Lola stayed with Will any longer, she swore it would send her to an early grave. Why did he have to be like this?

"How can I keep dealing with this? I'm about to have an effing nervous breakdown!"

"Awww, honey." Tawny Rae enveloped her in a hug, stroking Lola's hair as she let her daughter-in-law cry on her shoulder, guiding her back to the couch. They had been sitting in the lobby waiting for their husbands and Hank for what seemed like an eternity. "Everything is going to be just fine."

"No, it's not. It's a mess, Tawny. What if this is the beginning of the end for Will's career? He's never done anything like this before."

More importantly, what had made him do it now? Something had to have been bothering him, but Lola doubted he would come clean on his own, if not at all.

Tawny Rae shook her head. "No, it won't be. Embarrassing? Yes? Career ending? Not a chance. Even if it is, we're all in this together. I know that our family dynamic is a little unconventional-"

Lola pulled away, raised an eyebrow and sniffled. "A little? Do you even know what people say and think about you? Kirkland is not only old enough to be your dad, he's also old enough to be your grandfather. By the time this baby graduates high school, he'll probably be wearing Depends."

She wanted to kick herself over what she just said, especially when Tawny Rae got a sad look in her eyes. All she had done was try to make her feel better, and what did Lola do? Insult her, and she didn't deserve at this time.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

Tawny Rae shook her head. "I understand, you're under quite a lot of stress. There's really no need to apologize. You're upset right now, but there's no denying you're spot on with everything. I'm not deaf and blind to the opinions of those around me and then some."

This took Lola by surprise. None of them ever expected her to actually admit that everybody was right.

"How do you deal with it?"

"I love Kirkland and love conquers all." Tawny Rae looked down briefly at her growing baby bump, putting her hand on it and smiling. "With Will, it was just casual and fun. Besides, I knew it was over the night he came home with your number on his hand."

Lola couldn't help but smile over that first night they met, it always made her heart flutter a bit, along with other moments. At the same time, her mind couldn't help but wander to Tawny Rae dressed as a dominatrix and flogging Will as she had done in one of the sex tapes.

"I wish he were more like he was then."

"I remember asking him who's number it was and he straight out told me "the mother of my future children". He's loved you all along, sweetie. You can't forget ever that. Things will get easier." Tawny Rae gripped Lola's hand, making Lola feel worse for snapping at her.

"When?"

They were interrupted by the front doors opening and Cassie Rhodes walking through them.

"Cassie!"

Lola wanted to walk over and give her a hug but remained hesitant, unsure if Cassie blamed her for this whole mess.

"Hi, Lola." She smiled warmly.

"I wasn't sure if you'd be here, I didn't see you come in with Connor."

"I would have come in earlier but I was on the phone with my sister."

Hearing that made Lola think of her own sisters, who hadn't even called her to find out what the hell was going on. The only person that seemed to care was Erin, who stood up until three in the morning talking to her last night. Some days, Lola felt like Erin was the only sister she had.

"Listen, Cassie," Lola cleared her thrust nervously. "I just wanted to say I'm really sorry about what happened. I don't know what got into Will but-"

Cassie shook her head and sat down next to Lola. "There's no need to apologize, I absolutely understand."

"You do?" This took Lola by surprise, she was certain Cassie would be mad at her. "How can you?"

"Yes, I do. Quite frankly, they're both to blame for this. Connor acted like a downright asshole and I let him have it. He's currently in the dog house with me at the moment."

Cassie was well aware of what had made Will snap at Connor, and had seen it first hand, not to mention Connor being absolutely disgusted. The only person that didn't know was Lola and if she ever found out it would more than likely destroy her being.

"Will's been there for quite some time already." Lola didn't feel like going into the whole thing with what had been revealed in Dr. Charles' office, so she turned to Tawny Rae. "Tawny Rae, this is Cassie Rhodes, Connor's wife. Cassie, this is Tawny Rae, my mother-in-law."

"Hi, nice to meet you. Mother-in-law?" Cassie questioned as they shook hands, to which Tawny Rae nodded proudly.

"Yep. To think, had Will not dumped me for Lola, I would have been the one in this position. What a relief." She wiped her bangs to the side in a giggle, avoiding the look Cassie was giving Lola.

"That's a story for another time." Lola whispered to her.

The three women looked up when the elevator doors dinged and opened. Will and Connor walked out with Giuseppe, Hank and Kirkland following behind.

"Hello, girls." Kirkland greeted them as they walked forward.

"Will, what happened?" Lola asked as he stood in front of her.

He took a deep breath before replying. "I have to pay a $40,000 fine, I'm suspended for three races and one hundred points have been deducted from my score."

Lola looked down at her shoes, laughing to herself. "Wow."

"I know, can you believe it? She originally wanted to suspend us for five races and deduct two hundred and fifty points."

She glanced up, making his stomach turn over the laughter in her eyes as she rose to her feet. "It's not that, sweetheart. It's just that you've single handedly got to be the biggest idiot I've ever met. Tell me, was it worth it?"

Kirkland smirked. "Hate to agree with the little missus, son, but she's right. Keep these shenanigans up and you might as kiss the Sprint Cup good bye."

"Kirk," Hank grasped his shoulder firmly. "Not now."

Will was humiliated, being schooled by his wife not only in front of his father, but Connor and Giuseppe as well, and now the asshole had the nerve to join in?

"Lola, can we just get out of here?"

Cassie stood up. "Actually, I need to interject about something." She looked over at the team owners and Tawny Rae. "Would you mind giving the four of us a moment alone, please?"

Hank nodded. "Sure thing. We'll be in the parking garage."

She smiled at the silver fox. "Thanks, Voight."

Once they were alone, Cassie took the floor. "I know you were just lectured, but that isn't enough. I'm sure you two didn't have to apologize to each other."

Will cracked a smile, trying not to laugh. "What? No! Of course not. We aren't in fifth grade anymore."

Lola felt her hand burning to reach back and smack him across the face, to the point where she had to hold her own wrist to stop herself, knowing that somebody could be watching them.

"Will, don't. Just listen."

"Fine." He looked over at Cassie. "Go ahead."

She took a deep breath. "I'm going to be frank here. You're grown ass men who know better and what do you do? Rough each other up. How mature."

"But, Cass-"

Cassie shook her head. "Don't even try. You acted like an ass, Connor, and so did you, Will. Your antics humiliated both of us. I get that you two hate each other to the core, but I don't care. Despite that, I like Lola a lot and I'm going to continue to be friends with her, she needs one." She glanced at Will. "Ya got that, Red?"

He nodded, further embarrassed. "Yes."

"Good. Now, I want you both of you to apologize and mean it, don't half ass it."

"Will," Connor glanced at him. "I'm sorry about what happened, I shouldn't have accused you. Racing is really anybody's game."

Will nodded. "You're right, and I'm sorry I lost my temper. Just remember, competing with you never gets boring."

They smiled and shook hands, the tension lessening a bit.

Cassie nodded. "Good." She turned to Lola and gave her a hug. "Call me when you get back to Chicago, we'll go to lunch soon, ok? Bring Paisley, too."

"I will, Cassie." Lola returned the hug before separating. "Bye, Connor." She gave him a small wave.

"Bye, Lola."

"Ready to go, baby?" Will asked once Cassie and Connor walked into the elevator and the doors closed, not wanting to share one with them.

"Yeah. I just want to get home."

Lola picked up her purse off the couch, rifling through it for something. Will looked up from his phone after texting Hank to see Lola putting something in her mouth.

"Babe, what is that?"

Lola froze briefly, knowing she had been caught and had to think quickly on her feet.

"Uh, nothing. It's just some ibuprofen."

"Oh, great, thanks. I could use some after all this."

She shook her head. "I'm sorry, honey. It was my last one." Lola chewed on relief that he bought her lie.

"It's fine, I think there's some on the plane. Why are you chewing them?"

"It kicks in faster. I've been having the worst cramps ever."

"Maybe you're pregnant." Will smiled, taking her hand and leading her to the elevator. "We'll pick up a pregnancy test for you to take when we get back to Chicago."

The thought of another child (preferably a son) made Will's current fallen spirit lift a bit. Lola had looked so beautiful when she was pregnant with Paisley, not that she didn't always look stunning, but more so when she was pregnant. He loved being a father, even though he didn't always show it.

"Ok."

She didn't have the strength to argue about it, let him think what he wanted rather than him finding out the truth about her antidepressants. Would she ever tell him... or anybody?


	20. Dinner From Hell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jay attempts to have a heart-to-heart with Will regarding Lola; A fight breaks out at Brianna Logan's Cinco de Mayo dinner party.

**Hi, everybody! Sorry for the delay again, I've been swamped with school and my Suicide Squad story Angel of Malice, but I'm finally back! I had to update both Chicago stories today in honor of the Chicago Cubs going to the World Series! Congrats, Cubbies! Also, who else is LOVING Will and Nina together?! Shoestead FOR THE WIN! For those of you that don't know, Stella is from Chicago Fire. I had fun writing this fight, I think it's worse than the actual "Dinner from Hell" episode of _Real Housewives of Beverly Hills_ and of course I had to throw in the infamous "I made it nice!" from Real Housewives of New York!**

**Also, I'd like to announce that I finally cast Lola: Australian supermodel Miranda Kerr! She's apparently one of my dopplegangers, not to mention undeniably stunning. Let me know what you think!**

**Thank you so much to all those that reviewed and followed: HermoineandMarcus M39151, Ms. Isabella and NALEY23alwaysforever! Be sure to check out their stories, they are quite awesome!**

**_Chapter Twenty: Dinner from Hell_ **

"Urgh, I so do not want to go tonight." Erin complained as she finished applying eyeshadow on her lids.

Jay glanced over into the open bathroom from his spot on the bedroom lounger. "Why not? It'll be fun I'm sure."

"I'm over six months pregnant and feel like a bloated beached whale. Nothing fits except these damn maxi dresses." She heavily sighed, smoothing out her red and white cotton dress, reminiscing on a thinner time. She was limited to her complaints because the cameras for _Real Housewives of Chicago_ were filming the whole thing. Lola was on her way to pick up Erin and then Tawny Rae so they could attend a dinner with their cast mates at Brianna Logan's house while Will and Jay babysat.

"Well, even if you are a bloated beached whale, you're still beautiful to me."

Jay walked over and wrapped his arms around Erin from behind, his hands landing on her belly.

She smiled and rubbed his forearm. "I can't wait for her to finally get here."

"Me, too."

They couldn't wait to meet their little girl, and then three months later in November after the last race of the season, they'd be able to spend some quality family time together without any interruptions. Unlike his brother, Jay did put his family first. According to Kirkland, that was the reason why Will was the better racer of the two.

"Sexy ma-ma!"

Erin and Jay looked over to see Lola leading Will by the hand into their bedroom. When they saw Lola, they were taken aback. She was wearing a skin tight satin green cocktail that went to her knees and silver strappy sandals, her hair was flat ironed and her makeup matched the dress. While Lola always looked her best, Erin and Jay couldn't help but notice that she had lost a considerable amount of weight. Something was seriously wrong.

"Hey, guys. I'm ready to go."

"Wow! You look fantastic, Er!" Lola gave Erin a hug as soon as her sister-in-law left the bathroom.

"Ha, yeah right. I feel like a Zeppelin."

Lola waved her hand out. "You certainly don't look like one. You're radiant. Come on, I'll help you down." She held her hands out to her sister-in-law, helping her to her feet.

"Jay, no scary movies and make sure the boys and Paize are in bed by nine, ok?"

Jay nodded. "You've got it, hun."

Lola looked over Erin's shoulder at Will once the four of them were downstairs. "Make sure that the kids finish their veggies and please try to work in a piece of fruit with dessert. I know the second we leave it'll be pizza and ice cream for miles to come."

"No problem, babe." Will gently grabbed Lola's wrist, kissing her fingers. "Please enjoy yourself tonight, ok?" He pulled her in for a hug.

She inhaled his scent, always feeling away from the world in his arms. "I'll try. It would be better if Stella wasn't there. I don't know why she was even selected for the show, she's trashy. This is supposed to be a show about classy ladies."

Stella Kidd wasn't a lady at all. She was practically one of the boys, guzzling beer with a sailor's mouth. The only reason Stella had been asked to join the cast was because she was a good friend of Gabby Dawson.

"Don't worry about her, just have a good time. I love you." He kissed Lola tenderly.

"Love you, too, babe. Come on, Erin. We still have to pick up Tawny Rae."

After saying good bye to the girls and waiting until he heard the limo driving away, Jay turned to his older brother.

"Will?"

"Yeah, bro? Come on, let's go get a beer."

The younger Halstead was not looking forward to approaching this topic, but it had to be done. Since they were still being filmed, he had to be inconspicuous. With a deep breath, Jay followed Will into the kitchen.

"Is Lola sick?"

"Huh?" Will turned around from the refrigerator with a raised eyebrow, grabbing two beers before closing the door. "No, she's fine. Why?"

Jay shrugged and took his beer, nodding his head towards the backyard, the two of them heading outside. "Well, she looks like she lost some weight. She didn't need to. I mean, if I had to guess, she's probably lost about fifteen pounds."

"Hmm..." Will and Jay leaned back in the lounge chairs, watching the children playing. "I didn't notice. She always looks perfect to me."

"Well, all I can say is that your Ms. Perfect really served you one hell of a sucker punch."

Will looked over at Jay in shock, completely baffled as to what he meant.

"How did you-"

"I wasn't born yesterday, Will. I'm glad you finally told her, though."

Will nodded. "Yeah, I deserved it. I was a right prick, I guess you can say I still am, but I'm trying to work on myself to be a better man for my family."

Jay took a long sip of his beer. "Is that why you're doing the one thing she asked you not to do?" He cut his older brother off before Will got a chance to reply. "Don't even try to spin it, Will. Thank your lucky stars she hasn't found out yet, which I'm actually surprised over considering how many people know. What were you thinking?"

Not only had Jay seen what happened, he was pretty uncomfortable by it, he could only pretend to be in the dark for so long. His brother needed his skull knocked around a few times.

Will shrugged. "Honestly, I thought I was doing a good deed."

"Going to Africa to feed starving orphans is a good deed. What you did isn't even close, not by a long shot. Let me ask you this," Jay leaned close to Will so the cameras wouldn't catch what he was saying. "is it worth ruining your marriage and losing your family?"

Will shook his head. "Of course not."

"Well then, you better man up and knock it the hell off."

It was moments like this Jay wondered if Will would ever get his head out of his ass, or would it be too late?

 

"Brianna, I really love what you've done with the place." Tawny Rae said as she looked around.

Following her divorce, Brianna decided it was time to approach her new single life with some positivity, so she had her entire house redecorated.

"Thanks! It took forever but I'm really loving the pay off." Brianna smiled, raising her wine glass. "I'm so glad you all could make it tonight. Cheers, to wonderful friends and new beginnings!"

They all smiled as they clinked glasses. Brianna had prepared a lovely Cinco de Mayo themed dinner on the patio with decorations and a live mariachi band. The girls were currently indulging on margaritas, tortilla chips with guacamole and salsa, taquitos, tacos and fajitas. For dessert there was horchata, chocolate dipped churros, soapaipillas and fried ice cream pie.

"Actually, I have some big news." Gabby said, to which the ladies all looked over at her.

"What is it?" Brianna asked.

Gabby has a huge smile on her face. "Well, as you all know, Baby Esteban Spencer will be here in less than two months."

Tawny Rae squealed and clapped her hands. "I'm so excited! My Tinky will have a little boyfriend to play with!"

"Who the hell is Tinky?" Stella asked, her face scrunched up.

"It's what we're naming our baby girl. Tinkerbell Maroon Halstead." Tawny Rae smiled proudly, rubbing her belly, to which Stella snorted.

"Tinkerbell?! Jeez, Tawny, were you on crack when you thought that name up?" She began laughing but Tawny Rae was a bit embarrassed.

"It's unique. That isn't always a bad thing." Lola said, nodding over at Tawny Rae. Since Will's suspension, the two had grown quite close. After all, they were family.

"Sorry, Gab, you were saying?" Erin attempted to pick up the conversation once again after that awkward moment.

"Oh, right. So, Matt and I had been waiting patiently for the past two years and after our mishaps, our adoption finally came through!"

"Oh, my gosh! That's fantastic!" Lola walked up and hugged Gabby, the rest of the girls congratulated her.

"Do you know what you're getting?" Stella asked, to which Gabby nodded.

"We sure do." She pulled her phone out with a smile, showing a little African American boy with puppy dog eyes and a sad look on his face. "His name is Louie and he's three years old, we're having him flown from Kenya next month."

"Oh, my gosh! That little face!"

"He's such a cutie!"

"I know." Gabby nodded. "Matt and Carmelle are so excited. I hope he likes it here, he hasn't had the easiest life."

"Of course he'll like it here. Anything is better than the slums of the jungle." Stella scooped some more guac on a chip.

"I'm sure he'll love it here, you two are great parents." Lola said before looking around, taking a huge gulp of moscato.

"Man, it's so crazy what an even split there is here!" She pointed at Erin, Tawny Rae and Gabby. "Preggers, preggers, preggers. Talk about a baby boom!"

She started laughing, the other girls looking intently at her. Ever since arriving, Lola had seemed a little off and really downed the drinks. The ladies couldn't help thinking something was wrong but had no idea how to approach it.

Brianna nodded. "Mmhmm, that's true. I don't know how you four have done it. Isn't it incredibly painful?"

"I'm actually a little nervous for my first time." Tawny Rae said. "It's why I'm having a C-section."

Erin patted her hand. "It'll be ok. They pump you full of drugs, you won't feel a thing."

Stella shook her head. "There's no way in hell I'd ever put this body through pregnancy."

Lola finished the remainder of her wine and grabbed the bottle off the table, pouring another glass, only for Erin to take it from her.

"Honey, I think you should slow down a bit."

Lola shook her head. "Not a chance, Er! If anything, I haven't had enough to drink." She looked around the table, forgetting momentarily that the cameras were on her.

"It must be really nice, all of you. Believe me, I want to have another baby, I should have already. I went to the doctor recently and he told me stress and depression are interfering. Yeah, tell that to my husband!" She threw her head back and laughed, clapping her hands. "It's not a secret anymore! I'm depressed, I'm depressed!"

"Lola-" Brianna was cut off by Erin from across the table.

"Seriously, you all must think I'm a freaking queen or something. As a queen, I'm held to a high standard. All I hear is "Lola, you must give Will a son! There has to be a boy to carry on his legacy and further the great Halstead dynasty." Lola rolled her eyes.

"Lola," Tawny Rae nudged her. "the cameras."

Not even that made Lola stop. "Let me tell you something, my lovely lady friends. Will Halstead is without a doubt a sexy man that can do it all. He can win the races, make love and fuck, all like a champ. You can back me up, right, Tawny Rae?"

Tawny Rae silently gasped, her face turning red. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes, you do!" Lola pushed Tawny Rae's shoulder. "I've seen the tapes. The only thing he can't do is open up his heart, it's blocked off by black ice!" Lola started laughing again, waving her hand out. "But it's ok, I cope in my own little ways."

The five ladies looked at each other at a loss for words. Without speaking, they all agreed that something was clearly not right and most definitely wasn't perfect for the youngest housewife.

"So, Lola, are you going to be taking that position with the Luvabulls as their new choreographer?" Gabby asked, hoping to deflect things.

"Well, its in the works and I won't start until after the Maxim shoot. It'll be really great to be working with Sylvie and Chili and April again. Who knows? Maybe I can throw on a uniform and cheer with them."

"That's terrific!" Brianna said with a smile.

"Lola is one hell of a cheerleader. I remember from the games Will and Jay took me to." Erin gently nudged her sister-in-law. Maybe she should take matters into her own hands and discuss things with Will?

"April is one lucky girl to be with Kelly. That man is razor fine. Ladies, no offense to any of your husbands or even mine, but Kelly Severide is the image of perfection. Just the mention of his name makes my nipples hard."

Brianna giggled. "Ok there, girly. I think you've had a little too much of these margaritas."

Stella shrugged. "What? I'm just saying he's hot. With all the cheerleading who will keep him company?"

"Maybe you can, you made your intentions quite clear a couple weeks ago."

The table grew silent as everybody looked over at Lola, perfectly aware of what she had been insinuating. This ticked off Stella, who narrowed her eyes at Lola.

"If you've got something to say, don't be a mouse. Say it where we're all gonna hear it."

"Ok, if you insist." Lola swallowed the lump in her throat, not liking that she was pushed but also felt like she could say anything. "Was there some kind of ulterior motive to hitting on Kelly at the kids' birthday party, especially in front of April?"

All Stella did was short and shake her head. "Yeah, right. Like I would ever do that."

"I'm not throwing shade, I'm asking why you did it. They're very happy together, and he isn't looking for anything else."

Stella laughed, sipping her margarita. "Lola, don't get me started, because I could rip your ass from the floor up."

"What, I'm not allowed to defend my friends' honor? Kelly is practically family and April is like my sister. We've been best friends for almost seven years, and I don't appreciate her nor Kelly being disrespected."

"What concern is it to you? Maybe you should be worrying less about me and more about that fire crotch husband of yours."

How typical of this dumbo bitch to divert by talking about Will? It was none of her business and didn't pertain to the current conversation at all.

"My husband has a name and this isn't about him, it's about you and your inappropriate actions. If you want to talk about husbands, then let's throw yours into the mix as well."

"Doesn't count. My husband has nothing to do-"

Lola shook her head, cutting her off. "Yes, it does! He was a drunken mess at the birthday party for our children!" She pointed back and forth between herself and Erin, only for Stella to shake her head.

"That's not true."

"Stella, everybody noticed! Grant needs some serious help."

"Don't you speak about things that you don't know nothing about, chica."

"I know enough! He made a damn ass out of himself and people were uncomfortable because of it!"

Stella slammed her palms down flat on the table. "You have no room to talk about anybody! You're a fucking joke! You are so blinded by all the money your husband throws in your face that you haven't the slightest clue as to what the hell is going on right under your nose! I feel sorry for that child of yours, because she's going to grow up to be a weak cunt like you!"

Erin and Tawny Rae gasped, Gabby put her hand over her mouth and Brianna was flabbergasted, unable to believe Stella would be so cruel and uncouth.

That last line was when Lola hit her breaking point and snapped. It was one thing to talk about Will, his behaviors left him an open target, or even her own self. Paisley was an innocent little girl who had absolutely nothing to do with any of this.

**_"Don't you ever talk about my daughter that way!"_ **

She got up and threw her wine in Stella's face, causing the other girls to gasp. Stella threw her chair back, crashing it to the floor as she made her way to Lola.

"Ah, hell nah! You just threw your Pinot on the wrong bitch, bitch!"

"Stella, no!" Brianna tried to hold her back, but it was pointless.

"Lola, stop!" Erin tried to grab Lola's arm but gently broke free.

"No, Erin, you're pregnant. I'm fine!" She turned back to Stella. "I don't care, I'll kick your ass right here and right now! Nobody's gonna talk shit about my husband or my baby!"

"You wanna go there, I'll fucking go there. I'm for the South Side I will mess your little ass up, then that husband of yours will need to find a new hole to fuck." Stella grabbed a handful of Lola's hair, making her scream as she was slammed against the wall, but Lola grabbed her shoulders and shoved her away.

"Get your hands off of me!"

"No, you need some sense knocked into you and my fist is here to do the job."

Without thinking, Stella punched Lola in her stomach, making her stumble backwards. Heart racing from adrenaline and fear, Lola smacked her across the face, the two of them clawing at each other.

"Lola! Lola! Lola!"

"Stella, stop!"

The crew had to intervene, tearing the two apart before things got even worse.

"That's enough!"

Lola tried to catch her breath. "I'm dizzy." She put her hand to her forehead and started stumbling. Luckily, Erin caught her arm just in time.

"Lola, I've got you." Erin said, helping her sit down.

"No, she's not. I fucked that bitch up good." Stella grinned in evil pride.

"Stella, shut the fuck up!" Tawny Rae yelled, to which Stella shrugged.

"What? She needed it! I'm doing what I'm sure that narcissistic husband of hers is already doing, and if he isn't he oughta beat her spoiled ass up. Her life revolves completely around him, she has no life but him. She's his submissive little pet." Stella turned to Lola. "Do yourself a favor and admit to all of us that you can't think or do anything for yourself! You live and breathe Will Halstead and don't try to say otherwise."

"That's not true!" Lola gasped in pain, grabbing at her stomach. "Do you even know who my husband is, Stella? You messed with the wrong chick because he runs this town and what I want he gives me!"

"Lola," Erin bent down, rubbing her shoulder. "are you ok, honey?"

"Your husband doesn't give a shit about you! That's why-"

"Seriously!" Gabby raised her voice. "Stella, cut the shit and stop it!"

"My stomach and head really hurt."

Lola was mortified that things had escalated to such a level, it would look bad on both of them.

"Do you want the medic to take a look at you?" One of the producers asked, only for Lola to shake her head.

"I went to all this effort to welcome you girls into my home and this is how you behave yourselves! I catered, I did it nice! How could you do this to me when I made it nice?!" Brianna stomped out of the room on the verge of tears.

"Brianna, wait." Gabby tried to go after her but was limited to waddling because of her distended belly.

"I just want to go home." Lola said softly, to which Erin nodded. "I need to see Paisley."

"Alright, babe. We've got you. Let's go."

Erin and Tawny Rae took either one of Lola's hands and helped her up.

"Yeah, run away, scaredy cat." Stella sneered.

"She's not running away. She's making the smart choice by ending things before they get worse." Tawny Rae spoke up, only for Stella to laugh at her.

"No, it just shows she's a little bitch that can dish it out but can't take it!"

"You know what?" Erin dropped Lola's hand and walked over to Stella, getting I her face. "You've been running your mouth off all night without a shred of respect for anything or anybody around you, the fact that you would call a little girl such a vulgar name proves that you have absolutely zero class. You have no idea what the hell you're even talking about so shut your trap and cut the shit!"

"You think I'm afraid of you, shorty? Not a chance."

"Yeah? Try me, Stella. I'm six months pregnant and I'll put you through the ringer if you ever mess with my sister-in-law again. I'm not kidding and if you're smart, you'll heed my warning and tread lightly."

Erin glared her down before taking Lola's hand again and leading her outside to the waiting limo.

"Thank you, Erin." Lola whispered once they were buckled in.

Erin nodded and patted her shoulder. "That's what family is for."

As the limo pulled away from Brianna's house, Lola broke down in tears, Erin and Tawny Rae comforting her the whole way.


	21. Give Me The Meltdown

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lola's meltdown following Brianna's party continues, making Will snap into reality.

 

**Hi, everybody! Great feedback on last chapter! It'll only continue, but things are going to have something of a turnaround for Will and Lola! I hope you all like the more frequent Linstead additions. Also, I updated the cover image and I gotta say I'm obsessed!**

**Thank you so much to all those that reviewed and followed: HermoineandMarcus M39151, Ms. Isabella and NALEY23alwaysforever! Be sure to check out their stories, they are quite awesome!**

**_DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NOR HAVE ANY AFFILIATIONS WITH GIVE ME THE MELTDOWN. ALL PROPERTIES OWNED BY ROB THOMAS, RESPECTIVELY. I ONLY OWN MY OWN ORIGINAL IDEAS AND CHARACTERS._ **

**_Chapter Twenty One: Give Me The Meltdown_ **

Lola was crying so hard she was curled up in a ball against the car seat and practically hiccuping, she couldn't stop no matter what efforts were made to calm her. The events that had transpired refused to stop repeating in her head, especially the horrible thing Stella said about Paisley. The thought of her sweet, innocent baby girl's face just made her continue crying.

"Lola, please don't cry anymore." Erin plucked a tissue from the limo bar, gently dabbing her sister-in-law's mascara streaked tears.

Tawny Rae rubbed her shoulder. "I've never had a great feeling about that chick, but Stella has made it very clear tonight that she is nothing more than a piece of trash. Hell, she makes me look like Duchess Kate!"

"How is Paisley going to make it in this world? She's completely doomed because of me and Will! I've failed her as a mother, and I don't know how to fix it!"

Lola bowed her head down in her hands, sobbing some more. Would things be different if Will were around on a regular basis? Whenever he was, Paisley would hardly leave his side, but when he left it was up to Lola to cheer her up and let her know that Daddy would be home sooner than she thought. If only that were true.

"Don't say that." Erin gently took Lola's face in her hands. "It's not true at all. Paisley adores you and worships the ground you walk on."

Tawny Rae nodded. "You're such a good mother, Lola. Actually, you're a pretty great mother. I hope I can be as good of a mother to Tinkerbell as you are to Paisley."

"I've let her down." Lola sat up and took a tissue from the tissue box. "Every morning when I wake her up, I go through the whole round of people that love her. "Does Mommy love you?" "Do Aunt Erin and Uncle Jay love you?" etc, and she nods her head mid-sleep. Lately, when I ask her if Daddy loves her, she pauses and then shrugs."

That was one of many moments that was captured on camera, as well as Will walking out of the dance recital. Maybe it was a big mistake doing this show, she was a spectacle now. Not only that, but she would have to discuss this evening's events in her talking head interview later on. Hopefully, something good could come out of this later on down the road.

* * *

"Dude, what time is it?" Jay asked, looking over at his brother, who simply shrugged.

"I have no idea. Man, that Trainwreck sure works quickly!" Will took another hit off the joint he and Jay were sharing with their beers after having put the children to bed.

"It does. I shouldn't be smoking this, neither should you."

Will laughed. "Live a little, Mockingjay. Besides, I've got nothing but time on my hands until Showdown and All Stars, and you best believe I'll be kicking ass." He glanced at the flatscreen from his spot at the family room couch. "Damn, Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis getting it on. Mmm mmm mmm, that ballerina guy and Ashton Kutcher sure are lucky muthafuckas."

"Yeah, they both did a kickass job in this movie."

"Nothing gets me hotter than girl-on-girl. You should check out this French film _Blue is the Warmest Color._ You would think that it was a porno with the kind of lady loving action going on in it. Did you know that "lesbian" is the most searched term on porn sites?"

Jay shook his head. "I believe it. Should you really be on those sites anymore? You have a problem."

Will's porn addiction wasn't a secret to the other drivers, some of them even indulging him as far as splurges. Jay wished that his brother would get the help he needed so he could give his all to Lola and Paisley.

"I'm in recovery, little brother, with the best help available. I'll be fine, but let me tell you this: If I could watch all my wives getting it on, I'd die a happy man. Totally naked and oiled up sliding all over each other. Lips, teeth and tongue in every hole imaginable, throw in a strap on, one sitting on one's face while going down on the other while rubbing the first girl. Whether or not I'd join in, I haven't decided yet. Man, the thought of it gets me so hard."

Jay simply rolled his eyes at his brother and drank his beer. "Ha, don't you wish? Take it easy there, cowboy."

"Hell yes I do." Will grinned wickedly before looking over at his brother. "What, you're going to sit there and tell me you've never imagined Erin and Lola making out?"

"No..." Jay broke his serious face and grinned sheepishly. "Ok, maybe... in the pool wearing matching bikinis."

"In mine they're topless, boobs pressed together." Will pushed his hands together in front of him, making him and Jay burst into laughter, ignoring the movie and ended up on the floor they were laughing so hard.

* * *

 

"How are you feeling, Lolee? You ok?" Erin asked Lola as soon as they got out of the limo in front of the house, taking her by the hand.

"I'm ok, I feel utterly exhausted." All the crying in the limo from leaving Brianna's to dropping Tawny Rae off and then arriving back at Jay and Erin's really took its toll on Lola. Her eyes were red and her face puffy, at least her makeup was still beautifully intact.

Erin nodded. "I understand. I'm just as furious as you are. She had no right to say that at all."

"I mean, it's not fun to be talked badly about, but I can take it. Throw anything you want at me, but leave my child out of it. That's where I draw the line. How can I move forward from this? It's not like they'll kick her off the show."

"Believe me, they'll have to after the earful they'll be getting from everybody, me especially."

Erin and Lola heard laughing coming from the other side of the door, knowing it was too deep to be the children. Giving each other a quizzical look, they opened the door and followed the sound straight into the family room, where their husbands were hysterically laughing.

"Hey guys, what's so funny?" Erin asked.

The Halstead brothers looked over at their wives and once again burst into laughter.

"Boobies!" Jay shouted, pulling Will and himself back on the couch again.

"Jay!" Erin put her finger to her lip, shushing him. "Keep your voices down, both of you! The kids are asleep!"

Lola looked up at the screen and blinked in shock. "What the hell are you watching?! Is that _Black Swan_?"

"Yep." Jay nodded.

Her mouth flew open, her blood boiling even hotter. This was truly the last thing she needed. "I'm gone for three hours and you're watching softcore porn?!" Lola turned to her brother-in-law. "Jay, how could you?!" She gave him a pleading look, hoping he wouldn't mention Will's addiction aloud when the cameras weren't too far behind.

"Guys, can you please give us a minute?" Erin held her hand up to the cameras to block her face before snapping her fingers at Jay. "Babe, where's your wallet?"

"Hey! I just spent the past two hours with singing rocks and dancing snowmen. If Daddy wants to watch _Black Swan_ , Daddy's going to watch Mila Kunis eat Natalie Portman out." He narrowed his glazed eyes at Lola. "Unless you want to come over here and sit on my face, because your pussy will be the only one I'm fixated on, baby."

Erin whipped her head around to look at Will, her mouth and Lola's flying open, even Jay was speechless. In all the time they've been together, Erin and Jay had never seen or heard Will say something so filthily vulgar to Lola.

Lola's face twisted up in a sneer. "Oh, my god! I cannot believe you, you're such an fucking asshole!"

"What?! Don't be such a prude, Lola. You used to do that all the time when we first got married."

"Will, stop it." Erin glared at him. "Quit while you're ahead, she doesn't need it."

"She's right! I don't! I need my husband who loves and cares about me and my well being unconditionally. Instead, I have a frat boy prick!"

It was right before Lola turned around that Will noticed her tear streaked face and snapped out of it. Something was seriously wrong and he had more than likely made it worse.

"Lola, wait!" He jumped up and tripped on the carpet, making Jay burst into hysterical laughter. Picking himself up, he went after his wife. "Honey pie, let's talk about this."

"No! Leave me alone! I just want to see Paisley and go home!" Lola had started crying again, her face flushed from the overwhelming pour of emotions.

"She's asleep. Lola, what happened at dinner?" He tried to grab her wrist but she pulled it away as she tried to walk up the stairs.

"I don't want to discuss it! It's not like you would even care!"

Without saying anything, Will wrapped his arms around Lola's waist and lifted her up. Once Lola's feet were off the ground, she started kicking the air and flailing her hands in fists.

"Will, let me go right now! I'm not kidding!"

"No! Something is wrong and we're going to discuss it."

He flipped Lola over his shoulder as she continued to kick and scream, the cameras capturing it all. Erin walked up to the cameramen.

"What are you doing? You can't air this, it's not right."

One of them shrugged. "We don't have a choice. It's up to the producers to decide what gets left on the cutting room floor."

All Erin did was roll her eyes with a scoff and walked away. Why the hell had they ever agreed to doing this? 

* * *

Will went into Jay's downstairs office and closed the door. The second he set Lola down she further snapped.

"I cannot believe you did that to me!"

"Lola, sweetheart, please." Will grabbed her shoulders once her hand was on the doorknob and turned her around, sitting her in Jay's leather office chair as he crouched down in front of her, neither one of them aware that the door was now open ajar and the cameras were once again filming everything. "I know you're lying when you say nothing happened because you wouldn't be this hysterical otherwise."

"What's the point? You're too fucked up to listen!"

"No, I'm not!" He put his hands on the sides of her head and made her look in his eyes, which were blood shot with dilated pupils, further proof that he actually was under the influence. "I'm all ears, every single word. You have to tell me what happened so I can help you out."

Lola threw her head back and laughed menacingly. "Now you want to help? What's your endgame, Halstead? Fucking me in the ass?! I see right through you!"

She tried to get up but he forced her back down.

"Lola, stop! You sound like a crazy person."

"I _am_ a crazy person! You have no idea and it's all thanks to you!"

"Listen, I told you I was going to make a turnaround and I'm starting. I'm sorry about what I said to you when you walked in, it was wrong of me. Please, please tell me what happened."

* * *

 

"Looks like you guys had a fun night." Erin said as she walked around the couch and sat on Jay's lap.

"We needed it. Sorry we went overboard." He wrapped his arm around her waist.

"Hey, as long as it's behind closed doors, the boys are safe and illegal drugs aren't involved, I'm pretty easy going." She looked at the contents strewn on the table. "It's times like this I wish I weren't pregnant, because after the night I had I could definitely use a shot and a hit."

"Aww, did my two girls have a hard night?" Jay asked as his hand landed on her stomach, smiling when he felt the slightest of kicks.

"Well, everything was fine until Stella ran her mouth off at Lola and then all hell broke loose."

"She said what?!"

They whipped their heads around to Will's shouting, Erin knowing that Lola had told him about what Stella called their only child.

"I can imagine it was pretty terrible."

Erin shook her head. "Believe me, you have no idea."

* * *

"Who in their right mind says that?! About a defenseless child nonetheless?! And then to go and put her hands on you?! She's going to get a piece of my mind." Will was pacing back and forth, infuriated. He stopped and held his hand out to Lola. "Give me her number, she's not going to get away with this. Tomorrow morning I'm calling our lawyer and she'll pay through the nose for what she did to you."

Lola shook her head. "I took care of it, that's not the point! Who am I to you?"

Will furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "What kind of question is that? You're my wife! Look at how furious I am, I could knock somebody out right now! What else would you be?"

"I don't know, but everybody's laughing at me! And when they're not, they pity me! I see the look that Trudy and Cindy and the rest of the WAGS have in their eyes whenever I'm around! I'm just a joke to you!" She bowed her head and started crying again, feeling beyond a breakdown. At this point, she was shattered glass.

Will studied his wife, thinking maybe his brother was right somehow and she really wasn't well. Was it all his fault?

"Lola," he wiped her tears away with his pointer finger. "you could never ever be a joke to me, not even close. I know that a lot of times I put myself before you when I really shouldn't, but it's not intentional... at least I don't think it is."

"You don't even know? How the hell is that supposed to be reassuring?!" She started crying again, this time even harder than before. "I'm nothing more than your pathetic dim witted wife! Nobody takes me seriously!"

"No! Don't cry! I'm sorry, I'm sorry! That's not what I meant and I have no idea why I said it. You know I'm not an emotional person, Lola."

**_That isn't reassuring either._ **

"But I'm trying, you know I am. I'm sorry that this is how you feel because it's the last thing I want for you, for us. The first time I saw you, I knew that you'd be part of my life in some significant way, and look at how far we've come. We're married now with a beautiful child, and you can guarantee there isn't a single thing I wouldn't do for either one of you."

Lola sniffled. "You mean that?"

Right now, this was exactly what she needed. Maybe all those punches rattled his brain into some sense.

He nodded. "Of course, doll. Hey," Will took her face in his hands. "I love you, Lola. And I love Paisley. I promise I'll try to make my actions as meaningful as my words, whatever I can to make sure that you don't go down that dark path again."

He leaned in and kissed her, Lola closing her eyes, two final tears falling as she slid down to his level. A small part of both of them was reminded of how things were after Paisley was born.

For two months, Will never left her side, enduring the screaming phone calls from Kirkland for backing out of races and meetings, not to mention having to tend to newborn Paisley. Lola's postpartum depression had rendered her practically catatonic, not even her OBGYN knew how that happened.

**_FOUR YEARS AGO_ **

_"Lola? Wake up, honey. Look who's here to visit you."_

_Lola opened her eyes to see Will holding Paisley, freshly washed, fed and dressed in a lavender dress with a petaled skirt and a matching headband in her hair._

_"Say hi to Mommy, PJ."_

_Will lifted her chubby little hand and waved to Lola. Paisley cooed and giggled at her mother, who reached out and touched her foot with a small smile._

_"Hi, my beautiful baby."_

_"Look, I put a headband on her and made sure the outfit matched, I know that you got her a headband for all her clothes." He pointed to the headband that was quite frankly bigger than Paisley's whole head._

_Lola nodded and smiled. "She looks really cute."_

_"She misses you." Will held Paisley to his chest, giving her a kiss on the forehead before putting her in a vibrating baby chair with a brightly colored toy. He turned back to his wife. "Come on, let's get you ready for the day."_

_Will drew back the covers and picked Lola up, carrying her to the bathroom. "Can you stand?"_

_She nodded slowly. "I think so." She whispered. Once he set her down, she gripped the counter so she wouldn't stumble and got a good glimpse of herself in the mirror. Her skin was unusually pale, her eyes had dark circles underneath them, her lips chapped and her hair a tangled mess. Lola glanced over at Will, who was getting everything ready. He took her chin in his hand, opening her mouth with the toothbrush and gently brushing the front of her teeth._

_"Open your mouth, sweetheart."_

_She did as she was told, which made him very happy._

_"Atta girl."_

_He continued brushing her teeth very gently, followed by washing her in their luxurious bathtub, scrubbing her hair and face. This had been going on for about a month. Every day, Will got her out of bed and did all the things she had stopped doing for herself. Washing, dressing and feeding, not to mention doing the same for the baby, who he kept putting in front of Lola trying to get them to further bond. Neither one of them knew why the hell this was happening, nor did Dr. Nina Shore, Lola's sunny OBGYN. This was supposed to be the happiest time of her life, yet she felt completely miserable._

_After dressing her in a navy blue velour Juicy Couture track suit, he carried her back to bed. She was about ready to close her eyes again when Will surprised her with a kiss. When he pulled away, she had a deer in headlights look on her face, blinking her eyes._

_"I love you, Lola, and we're going to get through this together."_

* * *

 

Will took her hand in his, giving the back of her palm a kiss. Whatever marks she had had long disappeared but the emotional scars were permanent. If he hadn't have walked into the bedroom to grab his cellphone, he would have been too late. The only other person that knew about it was Hank, who happened to be over at the house to discuss upcoming events. Miraculously, the events that transpired that day were what made Lola snap out of her depression, and they hadn't spoken about it since.

"I love you, Lola, and we're going to get through this together."

She nodded slowly. "I hope so."


	22. A Little Party Never Killed Nobody, Part One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lola and Will reconcile for his birthday while unexpected accusations upset Paisley.

**Hi, everybody! I swear Will really is trying to be good! I had been meaning to include a scene with the children for quite some time and now it is here. The Tiffany Legacy ring is beyond stunning so be sure to check it out, as well as the mansion! Also, the bit about Will and Connor having a secret life is a nod to my good friend M39151's story** **_Can't Deny These Feelings_ ** **on Archive of Our Own. I didn't get as many reviews last chapter and I sure could use some after the week I had! I know that on** **_Real Housewives of Dallas_ ** **that Stephanie threw her husband a** **_Great Gatsby_ ** **themed bash but I had the idea first so I went with it! Also, I've selected Jonathan Tucker as Trudy and Mouch's son Sullivan.**

**Thank you so much to all those that reviewed and followed: HermoineandMarcus M39151, Ms. Isabella and Robin Leach! Be sure to check out their stories, they are quite awesome!**

**_DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NOR HAVE ANY AFFILIATIONS WITH A LITTLE PARTY NEVER KILLED NOBODY. ALL PROPERTIES OWNED BY FERGIE, RESPECTIVELY. I ONLY OWN MY OWN ORIGINAL IDEAS AND CHARACTERS._ **

**_Chapter Twenty Two: A Little Party Never Killed Nobody, Part One_ **

**_TWO WEEKS LATER_ **

"Ahhhh!" Lola threw her head back against the pillows, gripping the sheets of the master bed, her legs sliding all over despite efforts to stay still. "Please don't stop, that feels so good. You're amazing, I can't- Oh, my god!"

She was knocked out by a pleasurable punch of lust, moans and screams flying from her mouth as every part of her body tingled and tightened in ecstasy until she was totally spent.

Will slowly kissed his way up her body from underneath the sheets until arriving at her neck. "Happy birthday to me." He whispered in her ear.

Lola looked up at her husband lying on top of her, his arms on either side of hers. "Aren't I supposed to be the one doing that to you?"

"You already did, but the pleasure is all mine. I can't get enough of your sweet taste." He kissed along the top of her chest. "But if you want to do that to me on your birthday, go ahead."

She giggled before pulling him up. "Oh, I'm sure you'd love that."

He cracked his famous smile and nodded his head to one side. "Absolutely." Will leaned in and kissed Lola, pulling her closer to him. So far this was an incredible birthday weekend, having won both races upon an early return to NASCAR and ever since then he had been in bed naked with his gorgeous wife.

Will had reeled back and been less of a jackass following Lola's meltdown. Things were looking up, as he was actually making an effort. In a way, this suspension had been one of the best things for him, he was able to reconnect with his family again and decided he would be coming home more often. There had to be a way to juggle it all.

"What time is it, anyway?"

Lola looked over his shoulder to glance at the clock on the television. "Almost 2."

"Wow, we've been at this a long time.

Don't you think it's a little odd that Paisley hasn't come barging in?" Will asked, kissing her clavicle and massaging her breasts.

"She's with Louise practicing her ASL and French. She made you a card all by herself and picked out your presents."

Lola smiled, thinking back to a week ago when her daughter had approached her and said she wanted to buy Daddy a new wallet and belt, from Gucci nonetheless. They went to the Gucci section of the Rhodes department store, where the sales rep waited ever so patiently as Paisley counted out the entire amount for the black GG motif web stripe wallet and the black python belt, which was over a thousand dollars. Luckily, they happened to run into Connor, who made sure that little Paisley got a discount. They both thought it was so cute how shy she got around him and hid behind Lola, but it was probably best not to tell Will that.

"I can't wait to see it. Good thing that she isn't close by, I wouldn't want her to be concerned over all of Mommy's screaming."

"Ha, that would be difficult to explain. Remember the time she walked in on us?"

Will nodded. "Yeah, the night we decided to test out those handcuffs you bought."

"She was so oblivious and sleepy that she didn't even notice you on top of me, she just curled up on the other side of the bed and fell back asleep.

They both started laughing, reminiscing about how they were almost caught with their pants around their ankles.

"Well, one day we'll explain to her about how it's a beautiful thing when Mommy and Daddy make love."

Lola nodded. "I think so." She murmured against his neck, kissing his jaw.

Will stared off at a family picture of the three of them from their last family vacation that was on the dresser. They were on a beach in Hawaii, Lola was on Will's shoulders and Paisley was on Lola's shoulders, all of them having huge smiles on their faces. He hoped that when they did have the sex talk with Paisley it would be because they were giving her a little brother or sister.

"Baby?"

"Hmm?" Will looked down at Lola, shaking his thoughts away. "What's going on, love?"

She combed her hand through his hair. "It was a really great idea sending me on that two week vacation, thank you so much."

Lola had gone on a week long yoga retreat in Nepal, finding her inner zen and achieving some clarity. Following that, she joined Cassie in Hawaii at the house of a close doctor friend that Cassie worked with at the hospital. They spent the week relaxing beachside with spa treatments and tropical drinks, not to mention getting in the surf.

He nodded, stroking her arm. "Of course. You needed it. Believe it or not, it was Connor that called about Hawaii."

"I didn't know you guys talked since Miami."

"No, we talk from time to time. Actually, we have a secret life together."

"Really now?" Lola raised an eyebrow, biting her lip so she wouldn't laugh.

"Yep. We're doctors and lovers that have the cutest apartment with a puppy, a little boy and an adopted daughter."

She giggled. "Wow, sounds like a dream come true. Although, you two would make quite the handsome couple."

"I could see it through a woman's perspective, but not like you and me, beautiful."

Pulling Lola closer to him, Will united their lips in an incredibly fervent kiss, both of them clutching to each other in passionate thralls. She moaned into his mouth once his full length was inside her once again.

"God, Lola, I love being inside you. You feel so amazing. I love you." He kissed her face down to her neck, giving her a love bite on the sensitive spot that always made her gasp for more.

Lola held onto him, kneading the flesh of his shoulder blades, wrapping her legs around him as she arched forward into him.

"I love you, Will. I think I'll be ready soon."

Will looked up from where his head was in the crook of her neck. "What? You mean-"

She nodded. "Yes. I want us to start trying again to have another baby. I don't know if it should be this soon after what happened, but maybe in a few months? We've always discussed having a big family and that's something I want to give you, that I want to give us."

While in Nepal, Lola had gone down to one of the local villages before she left and spent some time with the children. They made her think of Paisley and how much she loved being a mother to her, and how she wanted to be a mother again to another child. After writing the orphanage a rather large check, Lola left feeling enlightened and hopeful for the future.

Will had a huge smile on his face. "Of course we can wait a few more months, as long as you need." His smile disappeared and he looked away. "Actually, I'm kind of glad that we haven't gotten pregnant yet. I've been worried about what would happen if history repeated itself. I'm a man, I'm not supposed to show emotions, it's why I suppress them so often."

Lola took his hand in hers. "You don't have to hide anything with me, you know that. I will never judge you for your fears and concerns."

He nodded, still looking away. "I know you won't. I just can't imagine what I would do if I lost you in that way if at all." Will finally looked at her, shocking Lola with the tears in his eyes. "You have to promise me that you won't do anything like that again."

"Will, I already-"

Will shook his head and took her hand. "Please, promise me. Think about Paisley, think about me. We love you so much."

It had been one of the scariest moments of his life and something he never wanted to relive again. He wasn't always aware of how selfish he was, but he was trying to turn things around.

This was making Lola tear up as well, he hadn't been so in touch with his emotions since the three week break a couple months ago. Maybe he was serious this time.

"I promise, Will. You two are the loves of my life, I would never want to do anything to hurt you."

She pulled him down to her level and kissed him sweetly, their tears falling and mingling. This was what she needed and the fact that Will was finally acquiescing was all she could ever ask.

"Mmm, babe." Will pulled away, confusing Lola.

"Yeah? What is it?"

"In the midst of all this chaos, we completely forgot our anniversary."

Lola gasped and slapped her hand over her mouth. "Oh, my god! You're totally right. Nobody said anything, either. How the hell did we forget our own anniversary?"

"Like I said, with all these events and filming and my suspension, it's been crazy."

She nodded. "Tell me about it. I'm so sorry. We'll have to do something. Five years is a long time."

"This all gave me a pretty good idea."

Will leaned over and opened the drawer of his night stand, pulling out a Robin eggshell blue Tiffany box wrapped in a white ribbon and placing it on her chest.

"What is it?" She asked, but all he did was shake his head.

"Open it up and you'll see."

Will watched her untie the white ribbon and pull the top off the box, only for him to snatch away what was inside. Before Lola could ask, she noticed the black velvet box, which made her heart stop.

"Will..."

"I know that this is nowhere near as grand as the first time, but I wanted to do this while we had a moment alone and weren't swarmed by cameras, because you know we'll have to do this again once they find out."

"Uh huh." She couldn't even speak she was so stunned, knowing what was about to happen.

"This isn't a perfect marriage, but what marriage is? We have our ups and downs, but I would go through hell and back for you. I don't think there's enough words to describe how much I love you. Lola, my darling girl,"

Will opened up the box, revealing a cushion cut diamond ring with the center in a halo of bead set diamonds on a platinum band, very graceful and glamorous with an elegant Edwardian period feel. Lola's mouth flew open as more tears fell, this time in happiness.

"Will you marry me... again?"

She nodded, laughing and crying simultaneously. "Yes! Of course I'll marry you again, Willby!"

Lola threw her arms around him, sending Will on his back as she kissed him all over.

"I was inspired by Mouch and Trudy renewing their vows."

"It's a great idea, babe. Although, it's not like I could say no with you still being inside me."

Lola grinned seductively as she pushed her husband down, rolling her body back and forth on his length, his hands on her hips before remembering the ring.

"Wait, I want to see it on you."

Will pulled the ring out of the box, taking her other rings off her hand.

"Don't you think all these rings will weigh my hand down? It has to be at least twelve carats in total."

He chuckled and shook his head, rearranging her rings. "Nah, but if it's too heavy just wear it on your other finger. Actually, that's a great idea."

He put her wedding band and his mother's ballerina ring back on Lola's left finger while taking her right hand and placing the new ring on that finger. Will held up Lola's hands, admiring the dazzling diamonds that adorned her fingers.

"There, perfect, just like you."

Lola looked at her hand and smiled. "It's beautiful, I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am right now."

"Well," He stroked her cheek. "your happiness is what makes me happy, baby. I remembered how you always wanted a Tiffany ring."

"I did, ever since I was a little girl. And don't worry, what I'll be giving you tonight will knock your socks off. Remember, act surprised."

Will had unintentionally found out about the surprise party, but that didn't mean he knew all the surprises in store.

"Of course I will. I can't wait." Will smiled, pulling Lola down to his level, resuming the amorous kissing and love making once more.

**_HOURS LATER_ **

"Oh, wow! It's so pretty!" Paisley squealed as she looked out the window at the party.

"Let me see! Let me see!" Carmelle, Paisley's best friend, scooted over to get a better view, her light green eyes in awe. "I love it! Twyla, Annabelle, come here!" She motioned to her friends.

The party was being held at the incredibly spacious and classic 1955 Burling mansion. While it was undeniably the most beautiful estate in the city of Chicago or even its suburbs, it was definitely the most expensive, not to mention the closest thing to Gatsby's mansion. The children were pajama-clad with their nannies in one of the massive bedrooms, Lola thought it would be fun for them to have a party of their own so they wouldn't feel too left out.

Both the interior and exterior were draped in black, gold and silver. High ceilings that held multi-tiered chandeliers, bundles of metallic balloons and flapper girls on swings. Feather dancers were on display with giant champagne bottles, poker and buffet tables for as far as the eye could see, Lola even had the amphitheater built into the outdoor pool just like in the Baz Lurhmann version of the film. This was a party that wasn't to be missed.

"Sully is so lucky he gets to go to the party." JJ said as he looked through the other window, seeing Adam Ruzek and Peter Mills cheering on Sullivan to drink a beer. His nickname amongst the kids was Sully because of the  _Monsters Inc_ movies.

"I can't wait until I'm older and we can party it up like they do." Ryder smiled at the thought.

"There's so many people here!" Twyla nudged Carmelle. "Look, I see our parents."

They were able to spot their parents amidst the sea of Will's closest friends and acquaintances, ranging from Chicago heavy hitting lawyers and politicians to other athletes and even actors and musicians. Everybody was dressed for the Roaring '20s with a modern twist, tuxedos, tea gowns and trousers.

"And look, there's my mommy and daddy!"

The girls looked down to in the center of the party to see Lola with her arms around Will's neck, kissing him sweetly with one arm wrapped around her waist. When they pulled away, he whispered something in her ear and kissed her cheek as she laughed.

"They're so cute!" Twyla squealed.

Paisley nodded in pride. "Yep, they are. Daddy got Mommy a huge ring that's almost as big as a Furby! It so sparkly, too!"

"How romantic." Carmelle sighed as they continued watching. "I can't wait until I grow up."

"Don't be so naive, you guys. There's only one reason your mom got that ring and it's because your dad did something bad."

The four little girls looked over at Carmelle's cousin Eva.

"What?" Paisley scrunched up her nose. "That's not true! Daddy is Mommy's prince, he doesn't do anything bad."

While that wasn't entirely true from how much Lola tried act copacetic when Will was gone, there was no way Eva needed to know that.

"Eva, no." Diego commanded, but his younger sister ignored him.

"That's not what my daddy said, he said that he wouldn't be surprised if your daddy is probably having a pear."

"Like the fruit?" Annabelle asked. "Pears are yummy!"

Eva shook her head. "It's not the fruit, it's something grown ups do and don't tell anybody about."

"You're lying!" Paisley balled her little hands in fists, anger filling her.

All Eva did was cross her arms over her chest. "What? If your parents get a divorce, you'll know why. It won't be that bad, you'll get two of everything just like me and Diego."

"Noooo!" Paisley shoved past Eva and ran straight into Cooper, almost knocking over his soda.

"Eva!" Carmelle pushed her cousin. "Why did you say that? You didn't have to be such a meanie!"

"Yeah," Tripp stepped forward, looking up at the older girl. "that wasn't very nice."

"It's true, that's why."

Eva had overheard the conversation the night after Aunt Gabby had gone to dinner with Lola at their friend Brianna's house. She was talking with Eva's father Antonio and Uncle Matt, saying that maybe the reason why Paisley's mom was sad was because of Paisley's daddy.

"Cooper!" She started crying into his chest. Cooper picked her up and sat on one of the beds, rubbing her back.

"Shhh, it's ok, Paisley. Nothing bad is going to happen with your parent's."

Uncle Will couldn't get a divorce again, Cooper actually liked his third aunt and didn't want Paisley to go through the same situation that he and JJ were currently in.

Their father Kelly and his longtime girlfriend April had split up last week and he reverted back to his womanizing ways. April had been the closest thing to a mom that they had since their own mother abandoned them, it was difficult to accept that she wouldn't be around as much even though she promised otherwise. Paisley was so little, it would destroy her if her parents got divorced.


	23. A Little Party Never Killed Nobody, Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> April and Lola catch up; Lola comes face to face with her first love and former dance partner Luke, who may be harboring old feelings; Lola spoils Will for his birthday, making everybody suspicious; Will gets a fantastic offer.

**Hi, everybody! So glad you all loved the last chapter!** **_Checkered Hearts_ ** **and** **_First You Get Hurt_ ** **are now equal in chapters! Woo Hoo! I know that to some Lola's gifts to Will are extravagant, but it's expected with their kind of lifestyle. I've cast the delicious Ryan McPartlin as Luke and Bryce Dallas Howard as Larissa. April's outfit is the one that Camille Grammer wore to the Roaring 20's party in the first season of** **_Real Housewives of Beverly Hills._ ** **Pictures for all are on my Pinterest board! Oh and some of you might recognize DJ Lightning from my** **_Total Drama_ ** **story** **_Nights in White Satin!_ **

**Thank you so much to all those that reviewed and followed: HermoineandMarcus M39151, Ms. Isabella and NALEY23alwaysforever! Be sure to check out their stories, they are quite awesome!**

**_DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NOR HAVE ANY AFFILIATIONS WITH A LITTLE PARTY NEVER KILLED NOBODY. ALL PROPERTIES OWNED BY FERGIE, RESPECTIVELY. I ONLY OWN MY OWN ORIGINAL IDEAS AND CHARACTERS._ **

**_Chapter Twenty Three: A Little Party Never Killed Nobody, Part Two_ **

"He's not the best cook, but it's nice to see him put in the effort, not to mention his son Eric is too cute for words." April said with a smile as she and Lola were sitting in one of the bungalows, watching the party.

"Wow, Tate sounds like quite the catch. How did you guys meet again?"

"Chalupa jumped up and grabbed his sandwich while we were walking by Panera Bread one day. I swear it was so embarrassing."

"That dog is such a rascal but that's adorable, like something out of a movie."

Lola looked over at Tate talking to Will. "For a former football player, he's very refined, not to mention he's totally rocking the braids. Will seems to like him."

"Looks like we'll be double dating soon enough."

The girls started laughing at that, for it seemed like they were always double dating from their time as cheerleaders to now.

"Count me in. By the way, I'm loving your dress." Lola looked down at April's hot pink flapper girl dress outlined with clear rhinestoned and matching shoes, complimented with elbow length satin gloves, a pink feather boa and a pink headband. "You should straighten your hair more often, it looks fabulous."

"Thanks, but look at you, girl! That dress is banging." April admired the silver bronze fringe dress that Lola was wearing with white suede crystallized mink pumps and a rhinestoned headband.

"It's a Rachel Zoe original. I gotta ask, is it weird being here after what happened?"

"No, it's just like every other event except I'm here with somebody else." April took a sip of her champagne. There was a part of her that did miss Kelly, but she had to move on.

"I was crushed to hear about you and Kell, I really thought you guys meshed perfectly together."

"So did I."

"Please tell me he did not hook up with the skank of all skanks Stella. I may just have to chuck my cherries."

April shrugged. "Honestly, I don't know. Tonight is the first time in almost two weeks that I've seen him. I moved in with Noah."

"Damnit." Lola mumbled under her breath, shaking her head. "I tried so hard in preventing that from happening."

April nodded. "I know you did, but this is all on Kelly. Besides, if I ever cross paths with Stella again, she'll be getting some words from me. Nobody calls our Paisley Bottle Pop a name like that and gets away with it."

"Luckily, we won't ever be seeing her again. What do you think about taking her spot?"

The day after the dinner, Will had called the executive producer before Lola and Erin even got a chance. He threw an absolute shit fit that if Stella wasn't fired there would be lawsuits left and right, that nobody touches his wife or insults his daughter. For the sole purpose that he is Will Halstead and gets what he wants, not to mention she exhibited inappropriate conduct, Stella was promptly fired from _Real Housewives of Chicago_ and the producers were desperate to replace her.

"Hmm, I'm not so sure, but I'll definitely think about it."

"It could be fun." Lola straightened one of April's earrings. "I just want you to know that I'm always here for you, April. You're one of my best friends and my sister, probably more of a sister than my actual ones. Although, don't tell them that because it wouldn't end well."

"Awww, Lola." April pulled her in for a hug. "You know you're my sister, too."

April was glad Lola couldn't see her smile fade away, knowing something was wrong, but how would she get Lola to open up?

"So, how did Will react to seeing his favorite ballerina boy?"

Lola slightly smirked as they pulled away. "Surprisingly well. Although, I haven't talked to Luke all night."

Lola looked across the party to see her ex-boyfriend by the stage. She had surprised Will with an incredible aerial silk/ballet number by Luke and dance partner Larissa to "Close" performed live by Nick Jonas and Tove Lo. Luke and Will had only met a couple of times when Lola was his dance partner but they always had mixed emotions toward each other.

"You probably should. Five years is a long time, babe."

 

"Luke!" Lola waved from across the party, glad that she had been able to secure his attention in the sea of guests. When she finally made her way over, she couldn't believe her heart actually skipped a beat from being this close. "Hi."

"Lola, wow." Luke smiled and embraced her tightly before realizing what he was doing. "Uh, I mean, hi. How are you? It's been so long."

Luke Walters truly was the embodiment of all American boy meets 1950's hunk. Tall with dark brown hair, forest green eyes, classic facial bone structure and perfect teeth, not to forget that mouth watering six pack with his V-line quite prominent in the white linen pants he still had on from the performance.

"I've been really good. How's your mom doing?"

Luke's mother Maryanne had taught the Morrison sisters since they were little girls, Lola had essentially know Luke pretty much her whole life. They didn't start dating until she was sixteen, which continued on and off and on again until about a month before she met Will.

"She's doing well, she sends her love."

There was an awkwardness that hung in the air with them, neither one wanting to discuss Lola's wedding day. Luke had barged into the bride's quarters and begged her to run away with him, that Will was going to break her heart and make her life miserable. Lola was outraged and sent him away, but lately she had wondered how her life would have turned out had she been with Luke instead.

"Paisley is the cutest thing, I love seeing the pictures you post of her on Instagram. She looks just like you."

"Thanks, she's pretty much my mini-me."

"Luke, I'm ready."

Larissa, Luke's wife and dance partner walked up, a big smile on her face when she saw Lola.

"Lola, hi!"

She wrapped her arms around her in a hug.

"Larissa! How are you?" Lola gave her a kiss on either cheek. "You did such a fantastic job tonight."

"Thank you."

Larissa was bone thin with dark red hair, green eyes, a scattering of freckles on her face and nice teeth. When she started with the dance company at fifteen, a love triangle sparked with her and Lola for Luke. While she was a good dancer, she never measured up to Lola, but she had improved. Luke had wanted himself and Lola to branch out and move to New York so they could be on Broadway or even audition for _So You Think You Can Dance_ , but all those plans were shattered when Will came to the picture.

"How are-"

"There's my gorgeous girl!"

Will wrapped his arms around Lola from behind and kissed her neck, lifting her a bit off the ground.

"Will!"

Lola started giggling as Will's arms wrapped tighter around her, Luke and Larissa's discomfort going unnoticed.

Will looked up and smiled. "Luke, hey!" He extended his hand forward. "How's it going, man? Nice seeing you."

Luke reluctantly shook his hand. "It's going great."

"That's good. Larissa, it's a pleasure as always." Will leaned forward and gave Larissa a cheek kiss with his arm still around Lola.

"Likewise, Will."

"You two were absolutely amazing out there. Are you sure there weren't any wires attached? Those leaps and jumps, wow!"

Luke chuckled dryly. "No, there weren't, but I've been asked that before."

"Sorry, I wasn't trying to be offense. I'm a bit drunk. Don't fear the refer, right?"

"I think it's don't fear the _reaper_."

Will shrugged. "I don't fear him, either." He looked down at Lola and smiled. "Look at her, isn't she beautiful?"

"She always was." Larissa said with a nod.

"I can honestly say I have the most amazing wife."

 _You're a lucky man._ Adam thought to himself. It wasn't that he didn't love Larissa, he did, it was just that Lola truly was the one that got away.

Lola smiled widely at Will's proud words, sending her emotions on cloud nine. Although, things were still awkward between the four of them.

"So, what's going on with the two of you?" Will asked. "Still running the dance company?"

Luke nodded. "Yes, we are."

"Not for long with me, we're expecting." Larissa patted her stomach.

"Really? That's wonderful!" Lola beamed.

"Congratulations." Will said.

"Thanks, we just found out it's a boy, but we really wanted a girl."

 _The opposite of my problem._ Lola thought to herself.

"Maybe next time." Luke nudged Larissa. "It's getting late, we should probably go."

Will shook his head. "No need to leave yet! Please, stay and enjoy the party. The night is very young."

"Tomorrow is Monday, early morning."

"Well, you're more than welcome to stay if you want, but I get it. Thanks for coming out tonight. The four of us should go to dinner sometime, give Lola a call."

"Sure. Happy birthday, Will. Good seeing you, Lola."

Luke couldn't be around this guy any longer. The fact that Will had Lola was aggravating, that they had a child and a life of luxury, that he had the pleasure of making love to her whenever he wanted. Why hadn't he pulled his head out of his ass and tied Lola down when he had the chance? Then none of this ever would have happened.

After bidding their goodbyes and watching them walk away, Will turned to Lola.

"Lolo?"

"Hmm?" She asked, lost in thought as she continued to watch Luke and Larissa.

"You don't regret ending up with me instead of Luke, do you?"

"What?" Lola blinked and looked up at Will, where for the first time in ages she saw something in his usually confident eyes: complete vulnerability.

"You can be honest."

She shook her head. "No! How could you even think that? Honey," Lola put her hand on his face. "I know it's not always a fairytale, but I love you and our life together. I wouldn't trade it for anybody or anything in the world."

He nodded, squeezing her hand on his face. "I feel the same way. I want us to get back to that good place again and I don't want you to feel like everything is on you when I'm the one to blame."

"I understand, I have faith in you and our marriage."

Lola gave him a peck on the lips and hugged him tightly to her chest. She had hope that he was being truthful.

 

"Make a wish, handsome." Lola whispered in Will's ear as everybody sang "Happy Birthday" to him.

He turned to her with a smile "I already did, baby, and it came true the day you walked out on that basketball court."

Will blew out the candles on his massive golden chocolate cake, all of his closest family and friends cheering. He smiled and waved, not noticing that Lola had a microphone in the hand that wasn't intertwined with his.

"Hi, everyone! Is everybody having a ball of a time or what?"

Their guests cheered as Lola giggled.

"Well, I aim to please. We're all here tonight because of one very special man." She turned to Will, a huge smiled plastered on her face.

"When we first met I honestly thought that you were just another conceited rich jerk athlete trying to trick me out of my clothes."

"I know I was! Woo! Work that body, girl! Do "Hey Mickey"!" Justin hollered, thrusting his junk forward and referring to the flash mob Lola and the rest of the Luvabulls did to "Hey Mickey" and "Thriller" for Will's twenty-ninth birthday.

"Justin! Knock it the hell off, now!" Hank shouted, smacking his son across the back of the head.

"Ow! Dad, what gives?!"

Hank rolled his eyes. "I swear, if I didn't know any better I'd think that you were raised in a barn."

Lola ignored the little scene and gave serious thought to ever inviting Justin to another function again as she resumed eye contact with her smiling husband.

"Anyways, ever since our first date and every day since then, you've continued to prove me wrong." Lola's eyes started tearing up, squeezing Will's hand. "Will, my darling, my love, you are and forever will be my one and only. You're such a wonderful, compassionate, generous, intelligent and charismatic man, which has made you the most amazing husband and father. You excel in everything you do and I am everything I am because you loved me, because you love me still, and I love you so so much."

She giggled and started fanning at her face, her tears threatening to fall. "Sorry I'm so emotional, I'm just quite elated and over the moon right now. Happy birthday, hot stuff."

Erin and Jay watched Lola give Will a big kiss and were speechless.

"Where is this coming from?" Jay asked. "Two weeks ago she was cussing him out and now he's Prince Charming? I mean, he's my brother and I love him, but even I wouldn't paint that picture of him."

Erin shrugged, sipping some apple cider. "She did just get back from that yoga retreat in Nepal, maybe it helped."

She hoped it did help, she hated seeing Lola so sad.

"What the hell was that all about?" Trudy asked Donna Boden, who shrugged.

"I have no idea. Maybe he's changed somehow? That suspension was pretty bad."

Trudy shrugged, not sure what to believe. "Maybe, but I've never seen frogs dance so who knows what the truth is? That and she's drunk off her tiny little ass."

Lola resumed speaking on the mic. "I've thought long and hard about this gift, literally months, because it's not easy to come up with a gift for the man that has everything and then some, but I did! Bring out the luxury!"

She beamed proudly as a white Rolls Royce Phantom with a huge black and silver bow was rolled out. Will's jaw hit the floor, scoffing in shock and disbelief.

"Oh, my god! Is this really happening?!"

Lola nodded. "Of course it is!" She spoke into the microphone again. "For the man who truly is the personification of a modern day Great Gatsby. Go, baby! Go check out your new car!"

She couldn't stop grinning from ear to ear as Will marveled over the car inside out, all their guests utterly impressed. For the past two months, every weekend he was home Will would drag Lola and Paisley to the Rolls dealership and spend an hour and a half with the car. Looking at it, test driving, discussing what he wanted, and just as the car dealer said he was going to draw up the papers Will would change his mind. Regardless of his indecisiveness, Lola knew he wanted the car more than anything.

"Look inside the glove compartment!"

Will opened the glove compartment and saw a black leather Hublot watch box. Getting out of the car, he opened the box and pulled out a spectacular watch completely covered in diamonds.

"Holy shit! This is the watch Beyoncé got for Jay-Z!"

"Wooo!" Adam hollered. "Now you're a straight up pimping baller, Halstead!"

Will pointed over at one of his oldest friends. "You know it, man!" He looked at Lola, who was now by his side. "Thank you so much, babe. I'm speechless. You have no idea how grateful and appreciative I am right now."

Lola nodded, the huge smile still on her face. "Of course it is, anything and everything for my superstar!" She glanced over at the DJ booth.

"Let it rain!"

At her words, metallic confetti and streamers started flying from all over, fireworks popping in the sky in a colorful flurry in the shape of race cars and hearts before "Happy Birthday Willby" appeared.

Will laughed, loving every second of this. "Lola, you really went all out. This is freaking phenomenal."

"I had to, thirty four is a big one. Yes, thirty five is the big one but you know I have a thing for even numbers."

He smiled. "You and your even numbers. God, you sure are cute."

Everything was interrupted by a loud shattering. Will, Lola and the rest of their guests looked over to see Chili laughing hysterically at one of the ice martini luges being smashed to smithereens, Jimmy utterly embarrassed.

"I didn't think it was actually going to break! Oh, my god! That's hilarious!"

She was practically on her knees now, Jimmy tying to pick her up.

"I think it's time we call it a night."

"No! I wanna party! A little party ain't never killed nobody!"

Her statement gave Lola an excellent idea. She turned around again and pointed at the DJ.

"She's right! DJ Lightning, play that funky music!"

Lightning nodded and switched around the tracks on his laptop. He must have overheard Chili, because "A Little Party Never Killed Nobody" by Fergie, Q-Tip and GoonRock started playing in sync with the downfall of confetti and streams.

"Nice save there, Lola." Will high fived her.

"Thanks, although," Lola peeked over her shoulder as Jimmy carried Chili out. "I've been a bit worried about her lately, she hasn't been herself." She looked up at Will with her big doe eyes. "You don't think anything bad happened, do you? Like that she's back on the smack again?"

He shook his head. "No, of course not. You know Chili parties to the max, she probably drank too much."

Will didn't have the heart to tell his wife that one of her best friends was in fact using drugs again. Lola had been happier than she had been in months and the last thing he wanted to do was ruin things for her.

"Wanna dance?"

Lola gave a single nod with a smile. "I thought you'd never ask, I'd love to."

"Great, then let's hit the floor." He grabbed her hand and led the way to the amphitheater in the middle of the pool.

"A Little Party Never Killed Nobody" led into "Trust You" by Rob Thomas. Will and Lola turned things up and cleared the floor with a very impressive salsa dance filled with calienté chemistry, Lola's silver bronze fringe dress twirling out with every spin. Nobody knew that Will had such excellent moves, which is why the inner circle was surprised when two days later he got a call asking him to appear on _Dancing With The Stars_.


	24. Looking Ahead

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lola's modeling career takes off; Erin feels happiness and relief over Lola's recovery; Erin and Jay plan a vacation; Lola and Will take a belated anniversary trip, only from a disturbing call from Chili to rock the boat.

**Hi, everybody! School is finally over, WOO HOO! So far I've only got two of my grades back and they're all A's! :) Hard work pays off! I'm setting out to update all of my top stories this week, so I decided to start with** **_Checkered Hearts_ ** **! Again, I really am trying to turn Will around so please give it a shot! Lola's bikini is actually one Miranda wore for Victoria's Secret, I'll put it on my Pinterest board. As you'll come to see, Lola's modeling career will be based off of Miranda's, Lola deserves it!**

**Thank you so much to all those that reviewed and followed: HermoineandMarcus M39151, Ms. Isabella and NALEY23alwaysforever! Be sure to check out their stories, they are quite awesome!**

**_Chapter Twenty Four: Looking Ahead_ **

**_A MONTH AND A HALF LATER_ **

"Wow, I can't believe how fast all that went by." Erin said as she sipped pink lemonade, leaning back on a lounger in the backyard of Lola and Will's house.

"Same here. This really has been the year of baby showers. Gabby, you," Lola looked past Erin at her mother-in-law. "you're next, Tawny Rae. Oh, and I can't forget about Larissa."

Ever since Will's birthday party back in May, Lola had been talking to Luke and Larissa on a regular basis, it made her feel a bit like the old days. Unfortunately, Luke had been talking to her more than she had been talking to Larissa, which is why Lola volunteered to help plan Larissa's baby shower.

Tawny Rae twirled her hair in a ponytail. "Mine will be pretty easy, the theme speaks for itself: Tinkerbell!"

"Ha, you got it."

The baby shower ended a couple hours ago but it seemed to have flown by. Erin had wanted things very simple with no frills, unlike the joint baby shower Lola's mother and sisters threw for the two of them when they were simultaneously pregnant, the theme being vintage butterfly tea garden. Instead, this event was nontraditional, a co-ed BBQ complete with games and beer for the boys. Now, Erin, Lola and Tawny Rae were all relaxing in loungers with the leftover dessert tray between them as they watched Will and Jay play with their children on Paisley's deluxe jungle gym.

"Lolee, thank you so much, you've outdone yourself this time." Erin squeezed her only sister-in-law's hand.

"It was my pleasure, Er. You have to promise me you'll use the gifts. I know that it's a bit over the top, but I saw it when I took Paisley to buy Will's birthday present and I had to get them for Mackenzie."

She was referring to the pink leather baby carrier and a light pink and magenta baby bag, rattle and booties, all covered with the signature brown on tan Gucci monogram pattern, in addition to the white and grey snakeskin baby buggy.

"Man, I am so going to need to hit the gym tomorrow." Lola took two cupcakes from the tray, one red velvet and one coconut. "I'm embarrassed to admit how many cupcakes and sliders I ate today... and still can't stop eating." She giggled, simultaneously licking the frosting off of both.

"Yeah, especially if you're going to be wearing that mini dress in the fashion show!" Tawny Rae squeaked, even though she was glad to see her daughter-in-law having a normal appetite again. "Lola, its smoking hot, oh my god. I am so glad Will is letting you model, he's made me such a proud mother!"

Lola and Erin ignored her comment, knowing better than to reply. Tawny Rae meant well but she really was a bit delusional.

"It'll be a lot of fun, but on the grand scale of things my modeling work has been pretty small so far. Nevertheless, I'm grateful."

Erin scoffed, knowing Lola was just being humble. "Pretty small so far?! Yeah right, Ms. M6."

She was of course referring to the BMW commercial Will had Lola appear in it with him during his suspension l. It cut back and forth between Lola getting ready for a night out and Will driving home in a dark blue BMW M6 as the beginning instrumentals of "I Want You" by Savage Garden playing all the while the sun is setting, neither one of their faces being shown until the car is parked in front of the Burling house.

Lola comes walking out of the house, telling Will she's excited to see him and that she'd wait forever, Will being oblivious to the fact that she was talking to the car and said he didn't mean to keep her waiting, that he wanted to make things extra nice. Lola saunters up and tells Will "I want you... but I want your car more.", taking the keys from his hand and twirling around as she walks off, the chorus of the song playing, leaving Will dumbfounded. He asks her if she's kidding as she gets in the car, with her response being how it matches her outfit so well and to make sure Paisley is in bed by nine before winking and driving off with Will running after her.

The commercial, which first aired on Will's birthday left with everybody wondering who the "Ms. M6" model was. Their question was answered when a video of them dancing from Will's birthday party was put online and the next day at the Met Gala in New York when Lola showed up with her NASCAR hubby wearing an incredible Zac Posen voluminous skirt gown made of sky blue organza and fiber optics. At first, Will was annoyed because of the dress size and the fact that she had to take a bus to get to the event, but all that was forgotten when he saw how breathtaking Lola looked, who was dubbed by the press as the brightest star with her Cinderella gown.

"I Want You" had a huge revival, along with .Amen. (who designed the dress Lola wore) and M6 sales soaring through the roof. Lola was thrilled with the newfound success and of course so was Will. So thrilled that last week when he was asked about the commercial's popularity and all the attention Lola was getting during his appearance on Ellen he stopped the interview and pulled her out on stage with him, the audience cheering for them. It was his Tom Cruise jumping on a couch moment.

"Hmm, I guess you're right. Don't you think it's a little odd that I've become something of an overnight sensation?"

With "I Want You, I Want Your Car More" came many, many opportunities. Ad campaigns for ending animal cruelty with PETA and for Gucci Guilty with Jared Leto and Karlie Kloss, the _Maxim_ shoot was moved up. This was in addition to her Instagram and Twitter skyrocketing with followers into the millions, two followup commercials for BMW and now being Zac Posen's muse.

She had been requested to walk in the Fashion Week "Big 4" capitals- New York, London, Milan and Paris- which she was still on the fence about considering she'd be gone almost the whole month of September and didn't know what to do with Paisley. Dior- who had previously cast Will in an ad campaign years ago- wanted her to be the face of the new fragrance Dior Poison. While this influx in her modeling career was indeed incredible, she didn't want to be a neglectful parent.

What excited Lola the most was being invited to walk in the Victoria's Secret 2016 Fashion Show. This year it would take place underneath the Eiffel Tower in Paris right after Fashion Week with performances by Bruno Mars, Gwen Stefani, OneRepublic and Lady Gaga.

Tawny Rae shook her head. "Of course not! You were already establishing yourself back in the day and paid your dues, but now you're a Halstead and that means getting everything you want and more."

"It's not just that." Erin snatched a pink frosted sugar cookie off the dessert tray. "We all know how gorgeous you are, Lola, especially Will. Now the rest of the world is finally seeing it."

"If by some crazy chance I end up becoming the next Cindy Crawford, just make sure I don't become a bitch on wheels with a big head."

Mouse was doing a fantastic job with representation, that crush had really come in handy for Lola, but the person who was really doing all the work for her modeling career was Will. He was the one who insisted she appear in the BMW commercial with him and personally made the call to the head of the Victoria's Secret fashion show. Lola was elated, he was finally doing something for her. What could he possibly get out of it?

"That wouldn't be possible even if you tried, sweetheart."

Lola looked over and pursed her lips at Tawny Rae. "You think so, huh? You should have heard how I dealt with that bitch Natalie. Self righteous skank that she is tried to sweep in and convince my man to raise a child that's not even his. She doesn't want to see what happens when the line is crossed with me, I always have a way to leave my mark."

It hadn't been easy tracking down Zoya, Lola had to practically tear apart Will's office until finding her address in a file labeled "Red Bitch". The rest was history and Zoya would never threaten her family again.

"I still can't believe what she tried to do. I mean, I'm sure she's scared of being a single parent, but that doesn't mean you try to stick your claws in your happily married ex-husband. Even I know better than that." Tawny Rae said.

"Well, the Wicked Witch is gone and won't be returning again and if she does, I'll throw a house on her."

They were interrupted by an adorable yapping. Lola looked down and squealed.

"Lill Willa! Hi-iii!"

She leaned over and picked up the Shorkie Tzu puppy that Will bought a couple weeks ago, naming her after their 'ship names'.

Lola leaned back, holding the puppy up as the dog panted happily with a smile on her face. "Who's my cutie sweetie baby puppy face? You are! Yes, you are! Yes, you are!" She giggled as her face was covered in puppy licks.

"She's precious, Lolee." Erin ruffled Lill Willa's head.

"Pass her over here!" Tawny Rae held her arms out.

"I'm starting to get concerned that that puppy is getting more TLC than I am."

The girls looked over to see Will walking up to them. Lola's smile grew wider as she handed the puppy to Tawny Rae and jumped off her chair, her arms wrapping tightly around Will's neck. Will wrapped his arms around her, his hands lingering on her lower back.

"Of course not! You'll always be my main squeeze."

Lola gave Will a kiss with her foot popped, feeling ever so giggly. This was the happiest she had been in weeks and she didn't want it to stop.

"As will you, angel. Although, I think you'd look a lot better wet."

Before Lola could question him, Will threw her over his shoulder and started walking towards the pool, Lola laughing all the while.

"Will, no! If you throw me in I swear it will not be pretty for you! This is a Vivienne Westwood! I'll- ahh!"

Lola shrieked as Will tossed her into the pool. When she came to the surface, he was laughing his head off.

"You think you're so funny, huh?" Lola swam over to the edge.

"Ha, maybe a bit, yeah."

"Well, you don't have me beat, mister."

With one hard tug, Lola had Will joining her in the pool.

Erin and Tawny Rae smiled at the scene in front of them, only for Paisley to come running over and jumping in with her parents, clad in her neon sunset colored one piece and floaties, all of them laughing and splashing each other.

"I love seeing her this happy." Tawny Rae said.

Erin nodded. "Me, too. I've been worried about her for so long. Really worried."

She never told anybody that she knew Lola's secret. Lola hadn't told her but Erin had seen the damage before it disappeared. If it happened again, she couldn't begin to imagine the outcome, for any of them.

**_THAT EVENING_ **

"Did you enjoy yourself today, honeycomb?" Jay asked, crawling into bed next to Erin after brushing his teeth.

Erin nodded. "It was a blast, Lola and Tawny Rae did such an amazing job."

"I agree." Jay grabbed _Modern Romance_ by Aziz Ansari off his nightstand and opened it to where he left off. " Speaking of our sister-in-law, did you notice how happy she's been lately?"

"I have." Erin grinned. "I'm very glad that things have turned around and Will changed his mind about her modeling. She's killing it, not to forget that she looks amazing, too."

"I'm happy for her and my brother as well. He has been working really hard in therapy, cutting back on drinking a lot, started doing PiYo with Lola, spending more time with Paisley. I gotta say, I'm proud of him."

"Me, too."

**_I just hope it lasts. She deserves it._ **

"They're going to Greece next week for a belated anniversary trip."

Erin looked over, an eyebrow raised. "And miss Coke Zero 400? Jeez, I never thought that I'd live to see the day where Will Halstead didn't compete of his own volition."

"He's finally prioritizing." Jay turned the page of his book.

"Sounds like it. Lucky them, I can't even remember the last time we went on a trip."

"Hawaii, remember? But you're right, we should take one, especially before the baby gets here. Got some place in mind?"

"Hmmm..." Erin hesitated. "You know me, I'm pretty laid back. Why don't we do an oldie but goodie and go to the cabin?"

Jay looked over and smiled. They had some very fond memories and owed it to themselves to create more.

"You got it, babe."

**_JULY 5TH, SANTORINI, GREECE_ **

Lola opened up her MacBook Pro and set it on the corner table once she got outside onto the terrace.

"Will! Come out here, I wanna make the video!"

"I'll be out in a sec, lovey!"

"Mmkay!"

She put her hair up with a clip she had attached to the top of her parayo as she took in the incredible view from their private poolside Foivos suite at Dreams Luxury Suites. They had only been here for three days, but Lola was still mesmerized by Santorini, bathed in white and sapphire blue by day and orange and pink by night.

It had been Will's idea to go on a vacation for their anniversary, just the two of them, the last one had been a trip to Napa Valley a year and a half ago. Regardless, Lola was elated. They were long overdue for some alone time, at least since all the mayhem over the past couple months.

Lola arranged herself on the lounger and hit record, a big smile on her face. "Hi, Pay Pay!" She waved to the camera. "It's Mommy and Daddy! Right now it's about three in the morning in Chicago, the big hand is on twelve and the little hand is on three on the clock, but over here it's eleven a.m.. Look at how spectacular Greece is!"

She hit the reverse camera button and stood up, showing how the sun reflected off the crystal clear water and shined on the city.

"I promise one day we'll bring you here and I hope you'll love it as much as I do."

"Don't you mean as much as we do?"

Will walked out of the suite and onto the patio carrying two strawberry blonde mimosas, which were Lola's favorite. He looked ridiculously sexy in his black and orange board shorts and long sleeve blue button up opened to show his bare chest.

"Here you go, my bride."

"Thanks, groomy." Lola smiled as she took the drink, only to start giggling when Will swept her into his lap, wrapping his arm around her waist.

"Hey there, my little Peppermint Paisley. I hope you're having happy dreams right about now. Sometimes mommies and daddies just need some alone time, you'll understand when you're older. Don't worry, we're bringing you back something really special and will take you on vacation soon enough, anywhere you want, so start thinking of places. I love you."

Lola suppressed a laugh, knowing that for as suave as her husband was he still had awkward moments.

"Daddy and I are coming home in a few days and we can't wait to see you!"

"Be good for Grandma and Grandpa, we'll FaceTime with you later today."

"We love you so much, our beautiful baby girl! Hugs and kisses!"

Lola blew a kiss as Will waved to the camera.

"Bye-eee!"

She stopped recording the video and typed out an email to her mother as Will laid back in the lounger, putting on a pair of Dior sunglasses.

"Not going to lie, babe, but this has been one of the best vacations I've ever been on. I never get tired of seeing such beauty every day."

"I know, right? I've always wanted to come here and I'm so glad this is where we decided to go." Lola clicked a button and shut the computer. "There! Sent!"

"Lola," Will's hand stroked her forearm. "I wasn't talking about the city." Even with the sunglasses on, her beauty was inescapable.

She turned around, beaming. "Awww, Will." Lola leaned in and kissed him tenderly, resting her head on his shoulder as they looked on the city. "You know I love it when your romantic side comes out."

"Well, tonight is going to knock your socks off, I promise."

"I hope so."

Lola sat in Will's lap and kissed him again, his hands alternating from being on her back to her face. Just as things were starting to get hot and heavy was when "Can't Stop" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers started playing from Lola's phone. She didn't answer and continued with Will, knowing it was just a text, until the song started playing repeatedly and then finally led into the chorus of "Under the Bridge" by Red Hot Chili Peppers. Lola looked up at her husband, their foreheads pressed together.

"I should probably get that."

Will nodded. "I understand. I'll just check my emails while you're on the phone."

Lola reached over and slid her finger across the screen to answer the phone call.

"Hey, chica! What's going on? Hello?"

Lola's smile faded away when there was no reply on the other end, only static.

"Hello? Chili?"

"Is there a bad connection or something?" Will asked as he glanced over from his phone. "My service and wifi bars are full."

"Mine, too." She pulled back the phone and held it up to see that the call was still active. "She's hasn't hung up, I wonder if she butt dialed me?"

"It's possible, but that wouldn't explain the slew of text messages."

Lola nodded. "True." She put the phone up to her ear again, trying one last time. "Hello?"

"Lo-la! La, la, la, Lo-La!"

Lola breathed a sigh of relief when she finally heard Chili's voice. "Hey. What's going on? What was that all about earlier?" She grabbed her champagne flute, taking a sip.

"Oh, I dropped my phone. Anyways, I'm bored and have time to kill until Jimmy's done practicing. Let's go to the mall and spend your husband's money! Gotta spend all that mon-aye, mon-aye!"

Lola got a puzzled look on her face, Will pulling her closer to him. "Um, Chili, don't you remember?"

"What's she going on about?" Will asked, lightly kissing the side of her neck.

"Remember what?" Chili asked after a long pause. Lola noticed how drowsy she sounded, what was going on?

"I'm not home, I've been in Greece since the 1st." Lola smiled, trying to suppress giggles as Will kissed behind her ear, rubbing her outer thigh.

"Oh... well, why?"

Lola let out a snort. "What do you mean 'why'? We're celebrating our anniversary." Her hand slid down Will's toned abs and inside his board shorts.

"Mmm, what are you doing down there?" He asked when her hand wrapped itself around his length, to which they were both smirking.

"Just filing my nails."

"You're a naughty girl, you know that?"

Will started kissing her neck again as she began to stroke him.

"It was your anniversary months ago. I don't get you, dude."

"What do you mean?" Lola sat up slightly. "Chill, are you ok? You don't seem yourself."

"Me?" Chili let out a sky snicker. "I'm cucumber breeze cool, you're not the same, pointing Will out to you was the biggest mistake I ever made in my life and look how it's ruined yours. You married the devil, Lola, down to the red hair and all. I don't even know who you are anymore."

"Chili, how could you say that? We're practically sisters! I would never say anything like that to you, ever."

"Yeah, just like you've never talked shit about me. I gotta go, if you're so busy on your honeymoon then I don't see why you called me."

"I've never said a bad word about you nor would I, and you called me, remember?"

"Whatever, late."

Lola's eyebrow furrowed together as the line went dead. "Hello? Hello?" Seeing that she hung up, Lola set her phone down on the table.

"What was that all about?" Will asked, massaging her shoulders, to which she shrugged. "Are you alright?"

"Honestly, I have no idea. She's been acting so weird lately and she sounded dazed. I hope she's ok." She looked at her champagne flute. "Her and her older sister Jellybean have problems with substance abuse. She's been clean for a while, I hope she doesn't relapse."

"I'm sure she will be fine. Honestly, if it weren't for Paisley, I wouldn't want us to have our phones on at all. Complete seclusion."

"I second that."

"Let's not let this put a damper on things. We'll figure it all out when we get home, ok?" Will sat up. "This is your time to relax, Lola, and you need it. I don't want you to stress out."

She nodded. "You're absolutely right and it's not just my time, it's our time, Willby. Come on." Lola stood up and pulled Will to his feet by the hand. "Let's take a dip in the pool."

Because of Will's (and soon to be Lola's) busy schedule, they had to take advantage of whatever free time they had.

"Whatever your heart desires, my sweet."

"That's certainly promising. For starters, let's get rid of this shirt." Lola tugged Will's sleeves until it was off his body and threw it on the lounger.

"Somebody's feeling frisky, aren't we?" He said with a grin.

Lola nodded, running her hands up and down his defined arms. "Uh huh. I love your arms, always have. The first time I saw you shirtless I thought "Man, that Halstead has some really sexy arms."

"Thanks, babe."

"But it's totally different from seeing to actually feeling. Every time I'm in your arms, I just feel... secure?"

"Well," Will pulled her in, wrapping his arms around her. "I'm glad, because I love having you in them." He kissed the side of her head. "It's where you belong."

They stood like that for a little bit, just hearing the faint sounds of the surf from down below. Right now, all they needed was each other.

"So now that I showed you mine, how about you show me yours?" He playfully asked, to which Lola giggled.

"Sure thing."

Lola untied her parayo and tossed it on the lounger, revealing a peach bandeau halter bikini with metallic gold circles and gold chains on either side of the bottoms.

Will eyed her up and down, both in love and lust. "Wow."

"What?" She asked cluelessly.

"You just look incredible. Stay here, I wanna take your picture."

"But-"

Will had already left inside the suite, rushing back with his SLR camera.

"Here, go by the edge of the pool, next to the palm tree."

"Ok, Richard Avedon. You know his grandson is a photographer now, right?" Lola said as she walked over to the palm tree. "He photographed Audrey Hepburn's granddaughter Emma for the cover of _Harper's Bazaar_ , isn't that cool?"

Will nodded. "Definitely. I'll see if I can get him to take your pictures, also. There's not a doubt in my mind that you'll be getting those magazine covers, too."

"You think?"

"Of course. With your looks, Mouse's skills and my big mouth, you're gonna go far, kid. Can you look out at the ocean for me, please?"

"Mmhmm."

She rested her hands on the ledge, watching the people down below as Will snapped away from all different angles, thinking of what life would be like being a legit supermodel. Lola was only hoping for the Maxim shoot, she never thought of anything going further, but when in Rome... let your previously neglectful husband revive and catapult your modeling career.

"God, you're gorgeous. Seriously, are you aware of how fucking beautiful you are, Lola?"

She looked down in a blush. "You're too much, Will."

"Hey, I speak the truth."

After what seemed like an hour of Will taking Lola's picture in every spot and pose possible, they finally made it into the pool.

"Come on, Will. I know you can do it. We've done this before, just think of the movie. Be Patrick Swayze!"

"Not in the water!"

"Yes, we have! It's how we broke in the new pool, amongst other things." Lola said with a wink. "Come on, Ryan Gosling me, baby!"

Will rolled his eyes. "Great, now you'll just be thinking of Ryan Gosling the whole time. I know he's your hall pass, Lola."

He pretended to be annoyed but he couldn't help laughing at how cute she was.

"Like Emma Stone isn't yours? So is Christina Hendricks from _Mad Men_. Forget about that, just show off those strong arms."

"Alright, alright. You know, Jennifer Grey didn't have a running start when they practiced in the lake."

"I can see why, you can't exactly run in water." Lola swam from the other end of the pool until she was in front of Will. "Are you ready now?"

He nodded, his hands now on either side of her pelvis. "Yep. Alright, 1, 2, 3!"

Will lifted her up above his head, Lola had her arms out at her sides and her legs straight.

"You did it! I-whoa!"

She leaned forward a bit too much and it sent them both backwards and underwater. When they emerged to the surface, they couldn't stop laughing.

"Wow, we really suck at this, babe."

"Nu-uh! We're just a bit rusty, it's why I may have overshot that!" Lola looked around the pool's floor. "My hair clip fell out."

"It's fine, you look cute. I think I lost my footing."

"Well, when you fall, pick yourself up and try again." Lola put her hands on Will's shoulders. "One more time."

"Bend your knees. 1, 2!"

Lola started giggling as she was in the Superman pose again, this time much more graceful.

"You did it, babe! See, I told you could do it!"

"Yeah, you were right. I couldn't do it without you, I wouldn't want to do it with anybody else."

Letting Lola slide down, Will held her close to him, kissing her with every ounce of his love. It was the perfect moment, if only they could stand still forever. What they didn't know was that they weren't alone, for Chicago's hottest couple was being photographed by hidden paparazzi.


	25. Picture Dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will and Lola enjoy themselves in Santorini, Greece while reaffirming their love; Jay and Erin imagine a world with a daughter while in Wisconsin; Lola and Erin receive shocking news about one of the WAGS.

**Hi, everybody! Happy New Year! I'll be posting for** **_FYGH_ ** **this weekend, I'll try to be as active as I can with all my stories, I have three classes, am on the school newspaper and more than likely will be hosting the podcast for the paper. I've been contemplating adding Kirkland's parents in for a while, and I promise they will be appearing later on! Kirk Douglas will be Archer "Ace"/PePaw and Debbie Reynolds will be Grace/Meme (I had been wanting to cast her in a role for one of my stories long before she died :/). I know, Ace and Grace, but it's actually kind of cute.**

**Both of Lola's outfits are on the Pinterest board, as is her bikini and the dress mentioned last chapter is the one Claire Danes wore to the Met Gala last year designed by Zac Posen. There's more of Linstead this chapter, both the Halstead boys are getting lucky! ;) I hope you like the little surprise I threw in! ;P. The whole "Thrill Ballstead" and eye crossing moments will be in both of my stories :)**

**Thank you so much to all those that reviewed and followed: HermoineandMarcus M39151, Ms. Isabella and NALEY23alwaysforever! Be sure to check out their stories, they are quite awesome!**

**_Chapter Twenty Five: Picture Dream_ **

"I'll be ready in a minute, hubby of mine." Lola called out to Will from the bathroom, applying mascara, listening to John Legend while getting ready.

"No rush, my heavenly creature." Will said as he finished replying to some emails from his spot in the living room of their suite. Even when he was taking time for himself, he was never fully off the clock.

Lola smiled to herself as "Tonight (Best You Ever Had)" started playing, glossing her already full lips, knowing she was officially ready.

"So..."

Will looked up to see Lola posing with one hand on her hip and the other against the wall. She looked stunning in a tight pink and glitter criss-cross body con dress, rhibestoned Christian Louboutins, her hair in a long wraparound ponytail and her make up superb, graced in all pink jewelry.

"Wow..." he trailed off, his mouth hanging open as he took in every inch of her.

"What do you think?" She asked with a smile.

"What do I think? You look incredible, as always, my beautiful beloved." Will stood up and walked forward, rocking a white button up shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows and his favorite pair of Valentino jeans. "For you."

Lola's smile grew wider when Will handed her a single, thornless glitter tipped red rose. "Wow, it's so lovely."

"Just like on our first date, except that one was pink."

"I remember." She inhaled the sweet smell, remembering that night perfectly. "Thank you."

"Of course. Ready to go?"

"You know it."

Turning the music off on her phone, Lola intertwined her fingers with Will's and let him take the lead.

"You wanna know something crazy?"

"Hmm?"

"When I met you I knew I was going to marry you."

"Really?" Lola asked, to which he nodded.

"Yep, you can ask Jay and Adam. I said "she will be mine."."

"And here we are. That's crazy considering right before we met I told Chili I would never go out with an athlete."

Will raised an eyebrow. "I remember, but Luke is technically an athlete and you were with him for a very long time."

"Dancers are different, though. Besides, did you forget about the reputation you had back in the day? Or as I remember Justin telling me you were "Thrill Ballstead."

He laughed. "Yeah, but that was before I became a family man, sweetie." He stopped walking and looked down on his wife. "Seriously, I can't even imagine going back to a life like that at all. It's totally passé now."

"Well, I'm glad, because you've grown out of it." Lola leaned up, giving her husband a tender kiss. Foreheads pressed together, she couldn't help but start laughing.

"What's so funny?"

"When our foreheads and noses are pressed together like this it makes us look cross eyed."

Will smiled. "Oh, yeah, you're right. We do." He gave her another kiss.

"We should take a selfie for our fans." Lola whipped out her phone. "I can't believe it's our fans now, I'm so used to saying your fans."

"Hey, you had fans long before I came along."

She nodded, setting up the camera on her phone. "I know, but now my fan base has taken on a life of it's own. Ok, ready, smile!"

Will kissed her on the neck, making Lola smile as she took the picture. "Awww, it's so cute!" She squealed, looking at the picture before filling out the caption. ""A night out in Greece with my honey bee. #datenight #happyanniversary #lovemyhusband #soinlove". There, posted."

"Sounds good to me, Lolo." Will grabbed his phone and reposted the picture, adding the hashtags "#lovemywife #luckiestmanalive #canttakemyeyesoffofyou #mylove". "Alright, let's hit it."

They were finally out the door when Lola's phone vibrated repeatedly and started playing "Love Don't Cost A Thing" by Jennifer Lopez.

Will smiled at the song. "You still have that song as one of your ringtones?"

"Of course I do! It's a JLO classic. I still can't believe you had her at my twenty first birthday, or the other celebs there. I played it cool but I was secretly star struck."

"Ha, I remember. You kept squeezing my hand all night you were so excited."

"Mmhmm. I used to send the song to you all the time when we were dating and it's still true, my love really doesn't cost anything. I really saved you from those gold digging hoochie mamas."

Will smirked. "Definitely. I'm sure if I had married Tawny Rae she would have taken me to the cleaners by now. I trust you completely, Lola. You're one of the most humble people I've ever met, it's the reason why I didn't have you sign a prenup."

The memory was so sweet, especially when Lola was on her knees giving Will a blowjob in a closet at their engagement party. Stroking her hair, he told her how much he loved her, pulling out yet another printed prenup Kirkland had shoved at him earlier, ripping it in half as he came in her mouth. He had told her this many times before, but for some odd reason she could never explain, it meant the most in that intimate moment.

This all made Lola think back to Caleb and how they had discussed this at their meeting. She wondered how he was doing, he was such a nice and smart man, not to mention incredibly handsome...

**_No! I can't be thinking of another man like that, I have a husband. Stop it!_ **

"Well, I'm glad I'm with you instead of her."

Lola looked down on her phone. "Ok... why is _TMZ_ emailing me? This is weird. I'm not the only WAG on here, either."

"Who else is CC'ed?" Will asked.

"I'll check in a second."

Lola scrolled through the email and gasped when she saw the last thing she would ever expect.

"Oh, my gosh!"

Will stopped in his tracks. "What is it? Is everything ok?"

Lola shook her head. "No, it's this!" She turned her phone around to show Will, who was equally as flabbergasted, albeit in a less dramatic way.

**_MEANWHILE, BACK IN THE STATES_ **

"This really is perfect." Erin said as she rested her head on Jay's shoulder, watching the sun setting from their spot on the lake in front of the Wisconsin cabin.

"It is, I can't even remembered the last time I was around such silence." Jay wrapped his arms tighter around his wife. Racing got so overwhelming, they were definitely in need of a little break.

"Well, you know what they say, enjoy it. I wonder how Will and Lola are doing in Greece?"

"From their pictures it looks like they're having an amazing time. We should all go on a double date when we get back, we haven't in months."

Erin nodded. "I'd love that. I'm glad your brother finally pulled his head out of his ass, I'd probably have to beat him a new one if he messed this up. You know Lola is my favorite."

"Mine, too."

She looked down on her stomach, which was rapidly being kicked. "Shh," Erin shushed, rubbing her belly. "It's ok, little one. Only a few more weeks and you'll be in the world."

"And we can't wait to meet you." Jay put his hand on top of Erin's. "I wonder what she'll be like. You were such a tomboy, I can only imagine she'll inherit that as well."

"Ha, probably. I'll make sure her first soccer ball is in pink. And I have a girly side too, ya know."

"Yes, I know."

"It'll be different with a girl though." Erin looked up at her husband. "Are you prepared for the hormonal meltdowns and wanting to date early?"

"Ask me again in twenty years, I'll have an answer for you." He smiled briefly, only for it to disappear as he looked out on the lake.

"Everything alright, Jay?"

He shook his head. "I don't know what to do, Er. I mean, I love racing, it'll forever be a part of me in my blood, but I'm not as dedicated as I used to be, not like my brother."

"I understand. You should do what makes you happy, and just know that whatever decision you make, the kids and I will support you regardless."

This hadn't been the first time discussing Jay retiring early or cutting back more on races. Kirkland would more than likely go ballistic and Will would try to talk him out of it.

"As for now, all I want you to do is take your mind off of everything, and I know exactly how to do that."

Tugging on his shirt collar, Erin kissed her husband, sweetly at first but then more passionate as she straddled him. Being close to her due date, her hormones were out of control raging out of control. One night over a bottle of cotton candy vodka, Erin and Lola both confessed to having insatiable sex drives for their Halstead husbands during pregnancy.

Jay returned the passion as Erin flung off his belt and fumbled unbuttoning his jeans.

"These never come undone when you want them to, urgh!" She groaned in frustration, only for him to smirk.

"Relax, babe, I've got it."

Neither one of them wasted time, Erin pulled Jay's throbbing member out of his boxers and he slipped her pantries down her maxi dress. They resumed kissing, Jay holding onto her hips as Erin gently rode him. Lucky for them, the cabin was secluded enough to pull this off.

"God, Jay, you're so amazing."

He shook his head. "Not like you. You're such a great wife to me and mother to our kids, not to mention everything else. I love you, Er. You're my one and only."

"Mmm, mine too."

Kissing once again, Erin's cell phone began trilling "Whatever U Like" by Nicole Scherzinger. Attempting to ignore it, they went back to the sex, but her phone kept going off.

"I'm sorry, hun. I've gotta take this."

"Urgh, Erin." Jay rested his head back on the lounger. "I'm freaking close!"

"It won't be long. What if it's Nadia or Teddy and something happened at the center?"

Grabbing her phone, she slide the bar on the screen, pursing her lips.

"Hmm, this is odd..."

"What is it?" Jay asked.

" _TMZ_ just emailed me and Lola, Gabby, Tawny Rae and all the other WAGs. Holy shit!" Erin turned her phone around and showed Jay, who raised an eyebrow.

"Can't say I saw this coming."

 

"I just can't believe this, Will. Adam and Kim calling off their engagement. What happened? I mean, didn't they seem happy? I thought so."

Will shrugged, taking Lola's hand in his own. "They did, but they've seemed kind of distant lately. This isn't his first engagement, ya know? Maybe he's a love addict."

"I'm not sure what I'm more shocked about, the fact that they broke up two months before their wedding or that she left him for Roman? She goes from one of the most popular NASCAR drivers to somebody from the pit crew?"

"The heart wants what the heart wants. Maybe they'll get back together down the line. Did you enjoy yourself at dinner?"

Lola nodded with a smile on her face. "Yes, I did."

They had just finished an excellent dinner and were now taking a midnight stroll on the vacant beach after walking around the city. The waves crashed softly on the shore, the sky a perfect mixture of dark blue with swirled in purple and white.

"I like the dress you changed into."

"Thanks. That other one just wasn't one for beach walking."

Lola was now wearing a blue toga style spaghetti strap maxi dress, her hair in waves down her back from the humidity.

"This has all been so impossibly perfect, I can't thank you enough, Will." She leaned her head on his bicep, giving his forearm a squeeze.

"It was my pleasure, doll. Except for one thing."

"What is it?"

They stopped walking, Will studying her magnifying beauty in the moonlight, her eyes practically sparkled. She was right, it was perfect, but this had been on the back of his mind.

"At the birthday party, why did you say all that stuff about me, that I'm generous and a great husband and father? I've been meaning to ask you."

While Will was his own biggest fan and loved having his ego stroked constantly, he had felt a little uneasy about Lola's passionate declaration, and he knew he wasn't the only one.

"Awww, Will." Lola squeezed his hand "Why on earth would I want to tell everybody what an asshole you can be?"

He nodded, not even shocked. "That's true. I mean, I'm pretty horrible. Maybe I'm just too vainglorious or have some kind of a personality disorder." Will looked down on his wife. "How have you put up with me all this time?"

"It wasn't always like this. Don't get me wrong, Will. Things may be copacetic now, we're doing really well in our weekly sessions with Dr. Charles, but you're still in the doghouse with me. I don't know when you'll fully be out of it, either."

Lola was reveling in all of the extra love and attention from Will, but there was no way she had entirely forgiven and forgotten all his indiscretions if at all. Maybe one day she could, but not at this moment.

"I understand."

"But I just can't stop loving you, babe. As crazy as that sounds. Don't make me regret it."

Will opened his mouth to speak, but Lola put her finger to his lips.

"Let's not let this ruin the night or the rest of our trip. Stress free, remember?"

He nodded slowly. "Yes."

"Good."

She turned around and looked at the beach, the scenery so picturesque and peaceful.

"I cannot stop staring, it's like a painting. Do we really have to leave? We can just have Paisley shipped over and live happily ever after."

"I wish we didn't have to go." Will wrapped his arms tighter around her. "Don't worry, we'll be back soon enough, in our little house that we just bought." He snuck her a kiss on the cheek. "You, me, PJ, and our growing family." His hands landed on her stomach, a huge smile on his face. "Whenever that may be."

Lola smiled down, resting her hands on top of his. "We'll know for sure next week, but I can just tell that this is it, I knew right away with Paisley. I have a feeling it'll be a boy this time, too. I've been thinking about names for the past few months, I really like Diavolo and Levon."

Will snickered. "Come on, sweetie. We're Halsteads, we don't do complex names like that."

"I just want something original like Paisley has." Lola looked up at her husband. "We don't have to name him after your dad, do we?"

He shook his head. "Nah, Jay already took care of that. I want to name him after PePaw."

Will was of course referring to Archer "Ace" Halstead, Kirkland's father. Archer was a very kind and generous man that was loved by everybody he met, not to mention a well respected racer in his day. Unfortunately, his dementia and Parkinson's only got worse, so Kirkland decided to put him in a home for his own good, without Will and Jay having the choice to weigh in on the matter at all.

"So Archer Jr., right? Archer William, I like it. Speaking of which, how are PePaw and Meme?"

"Eh, PePaw has his good days and bad days. Meme has been staying busy and taking everything in stride. I've been meaning to take the three of us up for a visit, it's just been so chaotic lately."

"We should definitely do that when we get home. I'm just trying to figure out a schedule that will accommodate everybody's needs. Yours, mine, Paisley's."

Lola sighed heavily. While indeed glamorous, being a model was quite stressful. She hadn't noticed it before when she was younger and unmarried without a child. Then again, the work she had now trumped her past experiences.

"We'll figure it out, baby. I promise." Will gave her hand a squeeze. "I don't want you to miss out on The Big 4, this is such a huge opportunity. It'll further put your name on the map."

"I know, I just don't want to be a neglectful parent."

"There's no way in hell you would ever be considered a neglectful parent. Besides, there's only four races in September and one of them is in Chicago, I've got this. We did just fine when you were on your retreat."

She nodded. "That's true, but promise you'll be with me for the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, ok?"

"I wouldn't miss it for the world. Do you know what you're wearing yet?"

"No, I'll have to ask Mouse when we get back home. He said the costume fitting is next week in Manhattan, right before my doctor's appointment. The Fantasy Bra is still up for grabs, that would be such a dream come true!" Lola beamed, thinking of what it would be like to model the most exquisite piece in the show.

"Some of those outfits are pretty far out, but I know that whatever you wear that you'll rock it, and that goes for all fashion shows." Will made a mental note to himself about the coveted Fantasy Bra. He knew Lola would look smoking hot wearing it and he knew that she would set the stage on fire with her charisma.

"Hey, I was thinking more about our wedding vow renewal."

"Oh, yeah? I'm all ears."

"Mmhmm. I think it would be fantastic if we performed the routine from the "Thinking Out Loud" music video!"

"What?" Will scrunched his eyebrows, desperately trying to remember the video.

"Empty ballroom, dance routine, incredible chemistry, that's all you need to know." Lola had such a dreamy look on her face. "It's totally perfect, Will. Plus, Ed and Brittany look like us from afar."

"Ed and Brittany look just like us, huh? Hmm, now that I remember you're kind of right. I don't know if I could do such an intricate dance routine though."

"Of course you can! You know I'll teach you. Besides, you've always been great with lifts and spins."

"Like this?"

Will took Lola by both hands, spinning her around once before lifting her in a swing style behind his back and spinning her around, making the two of them start laughing.

"Thank you for proving my point."

"No problem."

One arm wrapped around his neck and her other hand on his chest, Lola gazed into Will's eyes, her heart beat increasing, just like it did right before their first kiss. What she didn't know was that his was skipping a beat as well.

"I know we're going to get over these hurdles and be stronger from it, Lola. I love you very much."

Everything felt so mystical for them, it was like a dream, or even better.

"Will, I am so in love with you it's insane. I love you forever, from now until we're old and grey."

He chuckled. "I can't even begin to think of us when we're PePaw and Meme's ages. You'll still be beautiful I'm sure. Meanwhile, I'll probably wear suspenders with my pants up to my neck and always forgetting to put my teeth in."

"I'll be there to remind you."

The current level of amour was hypnotizing, everything was sensual and sweet, and neither one of them wanted it to end.

"Make love to me, Will."

"Ok, lets go back to the villa."

Lola shook her head. "No, now."

She cut him off with a kiss, balling up the front of his shirt. In a matter of minutes, her legs were wrapped around his lower back laying in the sand, lost in the lovely lust as they had sex on the beach.

He did love her, he's always loved her, it was just a matter of quelling his other issues so they wouldn't destroy things entirely.

Unfortunately, Will and Lola had no idea what awaited them back home in Chicago.


	26. The Jig Is Up, Part One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will and Mouse help Lola's modeling career; Lola meets other prominent models at a fitting for Victoria's Secrets, where fantastic news has an unpleasant reaction and makes Lola doubt her current career status; Dr. Nina Shore delivers heartbreaking news.

**Hi, everybody! So sorry it's been FOREVER since I posted last. There has been A LOT going on for me both with school and personally, some good and some bad. I hope that you like the latest installment though!**

**As a lot of you may know, I ABSOLUTELY CANNOT STAND LD and ER mentioned in this chapter! They're nothing but faux feminists that are A JOKE to the feminist cause! Dezi and Harry are played by Stanley Tucci and Hugh Grant, respectively. Jamie and Alison are from C** **_hicago Fire_ ** **, Julie is from** **_Chicago P.D._ ** **and you all know Robin and Nina from** **_Chicago Med_ ** **! I'll be implementing** **_Chicago Justice_ ** **characters soon enough! Both of Lola's outfits are in my Polyvore FanFiction collection, as is Alison's outfit.**

**Thank you so much to all those that reviewed and followed: HermoineandMarcus M39151, Ms. Isabella and NALEY23alwaysforever! Be sure to check out their stories, they are quite awesome!**

**_Chapter Twenty Six: The Jig is Up, Part One_ **

**_A WEEK LATER_ **

**_MANHATTAN, 8:45 am_ **

"Hey, yeah, we got disconnected." Mouse answered his iPhone while popping open a Coca-Cola, readjusting his sunglasses. "She's not doing it for less than the asking price, and that's final. Lola Halstead is the hottest thing on the circuit right now with offers nipping at her heels every which way. When you want to stop second guessing, then we've got ourselves a deal, capische?"

"Are you nervous, Lolo?" Will asked, turning to his wife in their limousine, on the way to Trump Towers for Lola's Victoria's Secrets fitting. "You've been quiet almost the whole way here."

All she did was shrug, her hands in her lap. "I suppose I am a little bit. Doesn't this all seem kind of fast?"

He shook his head. "I understand why you'd think that but it really isn't. They put new models in the show every year, which is a pretty big feat as well."

While her modeling revival had a steady start, it wasn't warmly embraced by all. Lola had been the target of some major backlash on social media. Will and Lena Dunham ended up in a huge Twitter battle when she called Lola "a docile Barbie bimbo with no morals or values that should go back to the two things she knows best: PomPoms and credit cards."

Emily Ratajkowski said that she thinks Lola is the personification of everything she spoke against in her "Baby Woman" piece in Lena Dunham's Lenny Letter, saying that Lola "isn't seen as anything but a sexualized materialistic being created only for men's fantasies."

In regards to positivity, Mouse and Will were filling up Lola's calendar left and right with modeling gigs for the next six months if not longer. Everybody wanted her now, including yesterday morning she was a guest host on _The View,_ Mouse had managed to squeeze her in a week ago. He had also landed her a commercial for Beats by Dre and _New York Magazine_ selected her for their 30 Under 30 List. The overall experience was something of another.

The boys introduced Lola to some big leagues in the fashion industry last night at a SoHo House rooftop party, including Anna Wintour. She admired the vintage neon polka dot Versus by Gianni Versace bodycon dress Lola was wearing, leading into a conversation about how Will had purchased many Gianni Versace originals from an auction at Christie's a few years back.

Overall, the notoriously icy Anna was not only impressed with Lola's looks and style but also for her sweet demeanor and knowledge of fashion. This prompted her to give Lola an upcoming cover of _Vogue_ , a model's dream come true, but did she REALLY deserved it?

"You've earned this, Lola. Enjoy it. I mean, this is outstanding!" Will laughed happily. "My wife is going to be on the cover of the biggest fashion magazine of all time! Aren't you freaking stoked?"

Lola smiled faintly as Will took her face in his hands and kissed her, his excitement was such a delight.

"Of course I am, it's a dream come true. Maybe you can be on the cover with me, it'd be better than the Kimye cover for sure."

"I'll drink to that." Mouse said, raising his can of Coke before taking another sip. "I'll see what I can do." His phone rang again and he turned away to take the call.

Lola's smile disappeared. "Except..."

"Except what, doll face?" Will slid Lola onto his lap.

"I can't help but feel like a dolphin surrounded by an ocean of killer whales. The second you go, they'll rip me to shreds."

She wrapped her arms around Will, hugging him for dear life and burying her head in his shoulder. Lola wasn't usually this apprehensive, especially when it came to modeling, but she was feeling uneasy. Karlie Kloss was super nice to her during the Gucci Guilty filming and they followed each other on Instagram afterwards, but this was a whole slew of the world's top models who saw her as a major threat.

Will looked down on her, hiding a hint of an affectionate smile. "Awww, honey." He returned the hug, rubbing her back. "You're going to be just fine, I promise. You look great, too."

"Thanks."

Lola had decided to keep it simple with win a white strapless bustier accented in a few silver zippers in the front and back, 7 For All Mankind jeans and Dolce and Gabbana monochrome wedges, topping it off with black Anna Karin-Karlsson pearl studded cat sunglasses and a black Gucci backpack. Ever since the commercial, it seemed like she was getting packages from Gucci practically every week.

"Come on, I'll walk you up." Will intertwined their fingers as the limo stopped. "Just remember to breathe, and smile." He gave the back of her palm a kiss.

When the limo door opened, they were met with the flash of cameras and the shouts of paparazzi.

"Lola! Lola! Lola!"

"Will! Lola!"

Lola flinched at the lights, feeling her anxiety bubbling. She had never seen this much paparazzi for her before, it was usually one or two at the most.

"Just smile, Lola. That's all they want, a big and beautiful smile." Mouse said.

Will stepped out of the limo. "Hey, guys. How's it going?" He turned back to Lola, taking her hand again and leading her out of the car. "You've got this, Lola. Don't you worry about a thing."

"Lola! Lola! Over here!"

"Hi!" She smiled and waved as she had been instructed. Her nervousness began to subside and relaxation set in.

"You look beautiful, Lola! Smoking hot!"

"Is it true you're replacing Kendall Jenner on the next issue of Vogue?"

"What's it like being married to a ginger?"

Everybody laughed over that one while Lola wrapped her arms around Will's waist as her dimples popped.

"Well, he's definitely the cutest redhead I know!"

She leaned up and gave him a kiss, hearing a couple people go "Awww!".

"Will, you really do have it all, huh?"

He nodded, taking Lola's hand. "You know what they say, beautiful wife, beautiful life. Have a good one." Will flashed them one last smile as he led Lola inside.

She waved to them on the way in, the photographers scrambling desperately for one final shot. "Bye! Have a good day!"

"You handled yourself well, Lola, although I knew you would."

"Thanks." Lola nodded, holding onto Will's arm as they walked inside and rode up the elevator, her eyes never leaving the floor, for her anxiety returned.

The condo/office at Trump Towers wasn't nearly as big as Will's $15 million Tribeca penthouse, but it sufficed for the intended purpose of this gathering, which was the fashion show fitting and runway practice.

"Nice place." Will said as they stepped off the elevator and looked around, which led directly into the foyer. There were several framed paintings and pictures on the walls and sculptures around them, along with vases of freshly cut white calla lilies.

"Makes me think of a museum." Lola added, putting her sunglasses away.

"There she is, there she is!"

Two men clad in metallic grey suits and blue rimmed eyeglasses walked forward, one was bald with a longish nose and the other had short grayish-brown hair and crooked teeth but still handsome. They were none other than Marino and Windsor the Italian/British fashion duo. Apart from their own collections, they were also heavily involved in fashion shown productions, being dubbed as "couture visionaries" for making them so spectacular.

"Dezi, Harry, nice to finally meet you." Will smiled, extending his hand forward.

"Likewise for you, Will." Windsor shook his hand before Marino checked out Lola, his hands to his cheeks in awe.

"Ahh, look at you, my little lotus flower!" He took Lola's face in his hands. "Forget Helen of Troy, **_THIS_** is the face that launched a thousand ships." He then took her hands and held them out to the sides. "And this body, my god." Marino stepped to the side of Lola and looked over at Windsor. "Hard to believe she's had a baby, isn't it?"

Lola could feel herself blushing. "Thank you very much, sir. I'm a big fan of your work, Mr. Marino and Mr. Windsor, it's outstanding. The DVF and Karl Lagerfeld shows in 2012 are amongst some of my favorites."

"Dezi and Harry, please, but awww! So polite and well versed! Those eye! That smile! Oh, I could just live in those dimples! Will," Marino looked over at him. "I cannot thank you enough for bringing me this beautiful creature. I could kiss you."

"Oh, no need for that, it was my pleasure." Will politely chuckled. "I just wish I would have done it sooner." He elbowed Lola affectionately. "She's a real gem."

"My dear," Harry stood in front of Lola with a smile. He reminded her of an older version of Sam Claflin. "I don't think you have any idea what will happen following this show and everything else you've done. You're going to be the fantasy of every boy and the envy of every girl on the planet."

"Wow, that sounds like something else."

"Lola, why don't you go ahead and introduce yourself to the other girls? We'll be right behind you." Dezi patted her on the shoulder.

"Ok." She turned around and gazed up at Will, uncertainty in her eyes. "Do you really have to go?" Lola whispered, to which he nodded.

"I do, unfortunately. Even if Howard Stern weren't waiting, this is for you and you should take the opportunity to branch out, meet new people." Will embraced her, stroking Lola's hair. "I'll be back in a couple hours. I'll take you to shopping and to Le Bernardin afterwards and you can tell me all about your day. How does that sound?"

Lola nodded, hugging him even tighter. "Great." She wanted to get one last touch, unsure of how long this all would take, but she had to break free. "Good bye, my love."

"Bye, gorgeous."

The two men watched Lola until she walked into the other room, Marino looking back at Will with a smile.

"The two of you are such a good looking couple."

"Thanks." Will nodded at him. "I'd like to think so as well, which is why I'd do anything for her." He whipped out his checkbook, flipping it open. "So be sure that my angel is happy, ok? Give her whatever she wants. This should be more than enough." He ripped the check off and handed it to Marino, the Italian man's eyes widening over the amount.

"This is more than generous, thank you so much for your contribution." Harry said, looking over Dezi's shoulder.

 

The second Lola walked into what she assumed was the den, again in white and pop art paintings, not to mention a long white runway in the middle of the room. All eyes were on her, except for this time it was in disdain instead of wonderment.

Some of the biggest names in fashion were here, either on the wraparound white couches or against the wall. Picking at their salads, texting, viscously whispering to one another as they shot Lola nasty glares. She decided to kill them with a kindness, giving a friendly wave and smile.

"Hi."

Unfortunately, this was ignored, followed by somebody throwing an empty Pepsi can at the back of her head. Looking around, she couldn't find the culprit but she did hear snickering. She could feel her eyes wanting to water but stopped herself.

Lola never had a problem fitting in or making friends, but now was different. Nobody wanted to acknowledge her, they wanted her to remain in the shadows.

"Hey, you're Lola, right?"

She turned around to see a girl with blonde hair past her shoulders and ice blue eyes, wearing black yoga pants and a black crop top.

"Mmhmm." Lola nodded.

"Hi, I'm Jamie. Come sit with us."

The blonde smiled, taking Lola by the hand and leading her over to one of the couches in the corner. Two other girls were laying back, one was African American and one was Chinese.

"Lola, this is Robin and Julie."

"Hey, it's really nice to meet you all."

Of course, being an avid follower of fashion and haute couture, Lola recognized them right away from the glamorous fashion magazines and ad campaigns over the years.

Jamie Nichols, a New York native, had appeared in ads and walked for such leading brands as Vivienne Westwood, Anna Sui, Lilly Pulitzer and Alexander McQueen. This was in addition to being in editorials for _W_ and _Harper's Bazaar_ along with ads for Urban Decay, UGG and Just Cavalli. She had participated in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show since 2011 and was finally made one of the Angels last year.

Alberta Ferretti, Carolina Herrera, Marc Jacobs, Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Emilio Pucci are just a few of the runway shows that Robin Cox walked. A well known hothead, she was one of the most sought-out models at the moment despite her icy demeanor, which was always covered with a seductive look in the pages of Elle France, Spanish _Vogue_ or Australian _Glamour_ or in campaigns for Ralph Lauren, Jimmy Choo, Tom Ford and Calvin Klein. Robin was the personification of a true diva, but when she hit the runway or got in front of a camera she owned it. The fiery Brazilian has a nine-year-old son name Mekhi and is currently dating a senior manager of Snapchat, although in the past she had been linked to Jordan Peele and Connor Rhodes.

Chinese were something of a rare breed in the modeling world, but Julie Tay definitely set the stage for all. Strutting and posing for such names as Jean Paul Gaultier, Dolce and Gabbana, Oscar de la Renta, Dior and Sephora, she had mastered the silent pout. Julie was rarely seen out partying with the rest of the models, choosing to practice yoga and live a life of Zen.

"Come on, sit down." Robin patted the cushion next to her.

"Thanks." Lola took off her backpack, setting it down on the floor and sat on the couch, hands on her knees.

"So you're Will Halstead's wife? I dated Kelly Severide for a bit, how come we never met?" Jamie asked.

Lola smiled to herself, that Kelly was such a lothario. "I'm not sure, actually. It's great to meet you now, though. Will and I just got back from Santorini last week celebrating our five year anniversary."

"Aww, that is so sweet!" Julie gushed as Robin nodded.

"Yes and he's painfully gorgeous. I bet you have to deal with insane fans all the time."

Lola smirked, trying to hide laughter as she took a flute of champagne from a nearby waiter. Will had been called "cute", "good looking" and "handsome", but not painfully gorgeous. Quite frankly, he wasn't even the best looking guy she had ever dated, but he was her guy and she loved his stupid face.

"I guess I've lucked out in that aspect, I'm not at the races too often. It's a pretty chaotic scene, but I love it when I'm there."

Robin shrugged. "Can't be worse than these bitches and ho's."

"Just stick with us and you'll be fine." Jamie said with a smile, making Lola a bit relieved.

"Hello, darlings! Calm yourselves, the princess hath arrived!"

All the girls turned around to see a woman walk in wearing a black, white and pink fur vest, a pink crop top, high waisted denim shorts embroidered with multicolored butterflies and pink suede wedges with a pink cross-body bag and heart shaped sunglasses, sipping a Venti iced coffee from Starbucks.

"Hey, Alison." Jamie nodded her head over at who Lola recognized as Alison Rafferty, the latest model for Esteé Lauder, along with having modeled for Badgley Mischka, Donna Karen, Fendi and Paco Rabbane. She had been told a couple times that she and Alison looked alike with their heart shaped faces, hair coloring and big eyes.

"My god, I just crossed paths with the most incredibly sexy man in the elevator." Alison trilled with what was obviously a faux British accent, Lola knew that she hailed from Staten Island. "He didn't say much, just hello, but my god what I would give to him bend me over the Empire State Building railing and make me scream so loud they can hear me in the next state!"

Julie snickered. "You say that about every guy, Alli."

"This one is different, I'm not usually into fire crotch wangers. No joke I so wanted to get on my knees and shove his cock in my mouth. He had a big one, I could see it through his jeans."

Robin reached over and punched Allison in the breast, making her screech. "Robin! You just punched me in my -"

She was cut off when Robin held her hand up. "Yeah, because the ginger you're talking about is taken." She nodded her head over at Lola. "That's her man so you best be stepping up."

Alison's mouth flew open and she whipped her sunglasses off. "Oh, my god. You're Lola, the new Levi and Dior model?"

"And H&M." Jamie interjected.

Allison looked Lola up and down. "Wow, you're so much prettier in person!"

"Oh, uh... thank you?" Lola sipped her champagne tentatively before holding up both hands to show her rings. "Yes, Will is my nonchubby hubby."

"It was a compliment entirely. All of it. You've really come such a long way in such a short time, no wonder everybody is wanting to claw your skin off and wear it as a coat in New York Fashion Week."

Lola did her best to hide a nervous gulp. All she had wanted was the Maxim shoot, she didn't expect any of this, but would she take it back?

"Attention, attention, my little doves!"

Dezi came in clapping his hands with Harry behind him before standing on the runway. "I have a major announcement to make!"

"Lola," Harry motioned towards her. "come closer."

Lola and the rest of the girls gathered around the runway, looking up at the fashion god.

"After much deliberation, we've made our decisions on who will be modeling which segments," Harry said. "but I am super pleased to announce which one of you lovely ladies will be wearing the Fantasy Treasure Bra! "

Robin rolled her shoulders seductively. "I know it's going to be me," she whispered to the others. "I've been getting hints left and right." She strutted forward with a flip of her hair. "Thank you, De-"

"Our newest star, Lola Halstead!" Dezi had a huge smile on his face and clapped wildly, but nobody else was clapping.

Lola couldn't feel anything, being in total shock. Why her? Before she could even react, an object flew past her head and smashed through a window, with Robin storming off and cursing in Portuguese. Somebody walked up and slapped Lola across the face, making her gasp along with Jamie, Allison, Beth and Julie. It all happened so quickly she hadn't even seen who had done it.

"Who slapped her?!" Harry inquired before turning to Lola, her hand on her face. "Don't worry, dear. Your face will be fine. I'll fetch some ice for you right now."

"Robin!" Dezi shouted. "Enough of this nonsense, you're acting like a child."

"Lola, are you alright?" Julie asked, to which Lola shrugged.

"I'm not sure."

Jamie smiled. "Well, congratulations. You'll look incredible."

"I'll say." Julie nodded. "We have to go out and celebrate."

"Let's go dancing at Output!" Allison squealed. "They always have such sexy guys and throw in "Livin La Vida Loca"."

Except Lola didn't feel like celebrating at all, she had to fix this?

"Dezi?" Lola had left the girls and followed Dezi into the kitchen.

"Yes? Here," he gently pressed a soft ice pack to her face. "the sting will go away soon. Now, what were you saying?"

"I think this is a mistake. Why me? The rest of the girls here are way more experienced and deserving to wear the Fantasy Bra."

This was an opportunity that any girl would kill for, but was it worth all the animosity?

Dezi sadly frowned and put his hands on her shoulders. "Lola, you absolutely deserve this. Come with me."

Taking Lola by the hand, he led her into one of the hallways and stood her in front of the carved rose mirror. Dezi smiled, his hands back on her shoulders.

"Lola, take a look. You're a star, this is the life you were born to lead. You know it, I know it, Harry knows it and Will knows it, too. He's your biggest advocate, so is Mouse. Don't let their pettiness get the best of you. Thrive and shine above it all."

Lola looked at herself in the mirror, but things still felt a little bittersweet. She needed to hold it together.

**_THREE DAYS LATER_ **

"Nina! So good to see you!" Lola beamed as the blonde doctor walked into the office, giving her a hug.

"Lola! You're absolutely radiant!" Nina gave Lola a tight hug back before breaking away. "It's been so long, how are things? I swear, it's like you're everywhere lately!"

Lola nodded, sitting down. "Busy, busy, busy! I'm just trying to juggle the three M's: marriage, motherhood and modeling."

"Well, judging by the pictures I keep seeing of you with Will and Paisley, it looks like things are just fine." Nina said with a large smile.

Dr. Nina Shore wasn't the most attractive woman, she reminded Lola of a thinner Amy Schumer, but she was a good doctor that was cheery and had a huge heart. Lola always had a bit of an odd feeling that Nina had a little crush on Will, but since she was so sweet it was shaken off. Besides, Nina was married to a quite handsome pathologist that strongly resembled Connor Rhodes.

"Those two are my whole world. Actually, I came to you today to discuss our expanding family." Lola smiled, putting her hand to her stomach. "So, how far along am I?" She was actually excited about this pregnancy, and she knew that Paisley would be over the moon to finally have a sibling. "I think it's a boy this time around. We're naming him Archer William, after Will's grandfather and of course his middle name is going to be his father's first name." She giggled. "If it's a girl, I'm not sure what we'll name her. I really like the name London. London Evangeline Halstead. Paisley's middle name is after Will's mother, so it makes sense for our next daughter to have my mother's middle name."

Nina's smile disappeared. "Oh, um, well..." she cleared her threat nervously, pushing back a strand of blonde hair that had fallen loose from her bun. "Lola, I hate to tell you this, but you're not pregnant."

Now Lola was the one with the lost smile, her hand moving from her stomach to gripping the arms of the chair. "I'm not?"

Nina shook her head sadly. "No, you're not."

"But how? I've missed my-, and my pregnancy test was positive."

"It was a false positive. Have you been under a great deal of stress lately?"

Lola nodded slowly. "Yes, modeling isn't easy."

"Is it just that, Lola?" Nina asked, giving Lola the look of sympathy she had become so accustomed to seeing. "Or is it something else? Your blood test numbers concern me, too low in the good areas and high in the bad areas. You have an iron and Vitamin D deficiency, most likely anemia, I've noticed your hair is thinning as well. Your stress is what caused your missed periods."

Lola's eyes welled up with tears, the mirror she had hidden away was finally coming to the surface. "It's not the only thing, it's so much more."

"Are you seeing a therapist?"

"Three times a week and I'm already on Wellbutrin. There's been a lot of pressure, to have another baby. We've always talked about having a big family, it's just been on a delay."

Nina shook her head and touched Lola's wrist. "I'm so sorry, Lola. Until you become mentally healthy and your levels regulate, I don't when that will happen. You have to take some time for yourself." She handed Lola a tissue.

"Thank you." Lola dapped her light tears. All of her dreams of Ace Jr. were fading away. She could vividly see the face that now would never be, with her hair, his father's eyes and his sister's chubby cheeks. This all left her with a great feeling of dread.

"How am I going to tell Will about this?"


	27. The Jig Is Up, Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Five years ago, a jealous Will begs Lola not to take the opportunity of a lifetime; In Present Day, annoyed by their pregnancy frustrations and Jack Nesbitt's innocent flirtations cause Will to intervene and Lola to snap; Jay and Erin get an unexpected surprise.

**Hi, everybody! So sorry it's been FOREVER since I posted last. There has been A LOT going on for me both with school and personally, some good and some bad. I hope that you like the latest installment though! School is finally over and hopefully I'll be able to resolve my other issues as well.**

**The whole Bieber situation is based off the same situation between one of my friends and her now husband, but it was for Justin TIMBERLAKE (THE BETTER JUSTIN!). Also, Jack Nesbitt is from** **_Chicago Fire_ ** **last season. THAT FINALE WAS INSANE! Lola's outfits are both on my Pinterest board. Enjoy!**

**_Chapter Twenty Seven: The Jig is Up, Part Two_ **

**_FIVE AND A HALF YEARS AGO_ **

_"You sure you don't want us to stick around?" Matt looked over at Will, who was staring intently at Lola from afar. She was engrossed in deep conversation with Justin Bieber and Usher outside the locker room, laughing and flaunting her beautiful smile, even flipping her hair._

_Will nodded, tightening his grip on the gift bag. "Yeah, this shouldn't take too much longer."_

_The R &B singer and his young protégé sat next to the two of them and Antonio earlier in the evening as the Bulls played the Hornets. While the five men got along well, it was obvious that the musicians were scouting "talent" for Justin's next music video, in particular, Will's cheerleader girlfriend, Lola._

_When the Luvabulls debuted their latest routine, which was a mashup of "Dynamite" by Taio Cruz, "Stronger" by Kanye West and "E.T." by Katy Perry, it was certainly a crowd pleaser. Justin and Usher were enthralled by Lola, whispering and pointing to her, saying that she had the look they wanted._

_"You're not going to turn green with envy over this, right? They may be successful, but so are you." Antonio said._

_Will nodded, pretending that he wasn't inwardly cringing when Usher and Justin hugged Lola, the Canadian heartthrob letting his hands linger down her back. She was wearing her Luvabulls red and white sweatpants with a matching halter crop top, which enhanced her assets just like all the other cute little uniforms._

_"It's just been a long day, I'm cool."_

_Matt shrugged, knowing that Will was just holding in frustrations._

_"Alright, catch ya later."_

_"Bye, guys."_

_After they left, Will sighed in relief to see Lola saying her final goodbye to Justin and Usher._

_Lola turned around and her face broke out into a big smile as she squealed and ran over to Will._

_"Hi-iii!"_

_She jumped into his arms, giving him a big kiss, which was returned with equal enthusiasm. He pulled away, grinning from ear to ear._

_"Hi, Lola."_

_"I missed you so so much!" Lola hugged him tighter around his neck as she jumped down. "You were pretty busy today, I didn't think you'd come."_

_He shook his head. "Of course not. I'll always make the time for you, I'd never miss a performance. You totally killed it out there tonight, babe."_

_"Thanks, you're such a sweetie, Will."_

_"I'm serious. You really dance the pants off those other chicks, don't underestimate your own talent. Which reminds me, I have a surprise for you."_

_Lola gasped excitedly. "Is it a puppy?!" She squeaked and clapped her hands, to which he smiled. Her youth and innocence really were adorable._

_"No, not a puppy... yet."_

_She hadn't noticed the fact that he was carrying a shiny red gift bag. He smiled and gave it to her._

_"Open it up."_

_"Mmkay."_

_Lola stuck her hand in the bag, Will watching her pull out a brand new white leather Yves Saint Laurent biker jacket with silver zippers and the YSL logo. She giggled at her present._

_"Wow, this is for me! Will, this is a seriously bomb ass jacket!" Lola put the jacket on and did a twirl. "Not to mention it fits like a dream, how do I look?"_

_"Hot like always, but what's that in the pocket though?" Will unzipped the front pocket as Lola looked down, not realizing the front slightly bulging pocket._

_"I don't know, but I'm curious to find out!" She pulled a red leather Cartier box out of the pocket, subduing her gasp until she opened the box and saw the stunning diamond and sapphire tear drop earrings._

_"Oh, my gosh!" Lola glanced up at Will. "Cartier earrings?!"_

_"Do you like them? Put them on."_

_Lola scoffed, still smiling while fastening the earrings. "Do I like them? They're gorgeous! Thank you so much but I didn't do anything to deserve this. You spoil me, Will."_

_He stepped forward, wrapping his arms around her waist. "As far as I'm concerned, I don't need a reason to spoil you. Those were my mother's and I wanted you to have them."_

_"Really? That seriously touches my heart and I'm so honored that you think of me this highly."_

_This was probably the most heartfelt and genuine moment she had had with Will let alone any guy. He was letting his guard down and showing her more of who he was as a person._

_"Of course, doll. Wanna get out of here?"_

_Lola nodded. "Sure, I'm all ready to go."_

_"Here, I'll take your backpack."_

_Will slung her Luvabulls backpack over his shoulder and wrapped his arm around her waist. Lola rested her head on his shoulder and wrapped her arm around his mid-back as they walked off to the parking lot. While Lola was on cloud nine, Will was still a bit perturbed from earlier._

_TWO HOURS LATER_

_"How did I get so lucky to have such a wonderful girlfriend like you?" Will asked as he pulled Lola closer to him in her bed._

_She shrugged, resting her head on his chest, her fingers going back and forth on his pecs. "I took a chance. Besides, you've more than exceeded my expectations."_

_When they had arrived at her and Sylvie's apartment, Will had offered to give Lola a massage. A massage had turned into deep kissing and then an hour and a half in the sheets. She noticed that Will was a little rougher in his movements tonight, but she wasn't complaining at all. In fact, Lola thought it was kind of hot._

_"I'm glad to hear you say that." Will kissed the top of her head before tilting her chin up and kissing her fully on the mouth. When they pulled away, all he could do was stare at her._

_Lola gave him a quizzical look. "What?"_

_He shook his head. "Nothing, sweetheart. I'm just staring at how gorgeous you are. The first time I saw you it was like... whoa. No joke, I had the same reaction a girl does when she sees a hot guy."_

_She felt her cheeks burning up. Sure, she had heard her whole life that she was beautiful, but when Will said it, she got tingly all over._

_Will held one of the earrings that she had been wearing since he gave them to her a few hours before._

_"These earrings look fantastic and bring out your eyes. I'm going to get you a diamond necklace."_

_Lola giggled, kissing her boyfriend. "I told you, Will. You don't have to buy me anything." She leaned over the bed, snatching her panties._

_"I don't have to, but I want to."_

_"Whatever you say, handsome."_

_Lola grabbed Will's shirt and buttoned up it up as she walked out of the room, Will admiring the way his shirt fell just below her butt and how her legs seemed to go on for days. This made him think of earlier that evening when Bieber was all over her, and that needed to be discussed. When she put on her ridiculous yellow Mickey Mouse shoe slippers, he smirked. Only Lola could simultaneously pull off sexy and silly._

_"Oh, my gosh, I'm starving!" Lola called out from the kitchen and grabbed a pint of Ben and Jerry's Red Velvet Cake ice cream. "I swear, I feel like all I had today were Tic Tacs and Rockstar."_

_"That's not good, you don't want to be running on empty." He grabbed his boxer briefs and put them on, following her into the kitchen. "Hey doll, can we talk for a second?"_

_She nodded, spooning out some more ice cream from the carton. "Open wide." Lola brought the ice cream to his mouth. He was more preoccupied with what he wanted to discuss, but he decided to appease her anyway._

_"Mmm, that is good."_

_"So what did you want to talk about?"_

_He sighed heavily, knowing this would be difficult._

_"Look, I'm a guy, so I'm not expected to lay my heart on the line, but I feel like in this case I can and all judgment will be reserved."_

_Lola nodded. "Of course. Honey," she put her ice cream back in the freezer and grabbed his hand in hers. "Is everything ok?"_

_"Yes, its fine. I'm also aware that I've had a reputation of being a womanizer, but that was just a jackass phase and there's more to me as a person. This second divorce has been tumultuous and I don't know how I would have gotten through it without you."_

_"Really?"_

_He nodded. "Yes. I still have my moments when I think about the past, but not as much since we started dating."_

_"I'm glad to hear that." She gave his hand a kiss._

_Will knew that this was the big moment, the validation for everything. "Lola, I think... no, I'm pretty sure that I'm falling in love with you. Lately, when I think of the future, the one we discussed on our first date with the kids and dogs in a perfect house, I see you by my side."_

_She smiled, elated that she could finally say those three little words. "I love you, too. So much. More than I ever thought."_

_"Please don't do that music video."_

_Her smile disappeared. "What? How did you-"_

_"I was sitting next to them at the game, and the things that little brat was saying about you, the way his hands were on you afterwards... he's a cocky shit, Lola. This is a bad idea."_

_Lola blinked, completely dumbfounded. "I'm not the only one they wanted, Chili and April will be in it with me. Don't you trust me?"_

_"Absolutely. It's not you I'm worried about. Music videos are kind of a dangerous environment for pretty young girls. You're only 19, Lola."_

_"And my career is just taking off. What are you trying to say, you think I'm going to go out and fuck Justin Bieber?!"_

_Lola stormed out of the room, her mind spinning. How could he even suggest she drop the video?! This was huge!_

_Will followed her out of the kitchen and back into her bedroom, where she was madly pacing._

_"Lolo-"_

_"Don't Lolo me! How can you even suggest this, Will? I thought you supported me!"_

_"I do! I'm just trying to protect you from being taken advantage of, I know it happens."_

_"I can take care of myself. Listen, not everybody is born into their dreams like you and Jay were. Some of us have to work really hard to get to where they want, and I'm one of those people."_

_Will frowned sadly. "That's not fair. Yes, we may have had our foot in the door, but we've had to prove our worth and stand on our own." He looked down, before sitting on the bed. "If you only knew what our father put us through, you'd understand. He's not like your dad."_

_Lola couldn't help but feel badly, perhaps that had been a low blow. She stood in front of him, putting one hand on his shoulder and the other on his face so he'd look at her. "I understand. I just meant that I'm going after what I want. Music videos are good exposure and the dance moves aren't that different from whatever I do on the court."_

_"I want what's best for you. You're better than just being some video ho. You want to model? Real modeling? I know I'll be able to do something to help you out. Please don't do this."_

_Lola hesitated. The girls were so excited about doing the music video, but Will meant a lot to her. With over a year of meaningless hookups, she was glad she had found somebody that made her feel the same way Luke did._

_With a heavy sigh, she acquiesced. "Fine. You're right, the whole thing is kind of sleazy, anyway. Besides, he kind of seems like a loser."_

_Will snickered. "He's a punk for sure." He opened his arms out. "Come here, baby."_

_Lola wrapped her arms around his neck as she stood between his legs, his arms around her waist. "I love you, Lola. Thank you."_

_She nodded. "I know. Come on, let's get back to bed now."_

_Maybe he was right. Besides, there could be something even bigger on the horizon._

_"Hey, how about a trip to the tropics?" Will asked once they were back in bed, grabbing the remote. "Would that make you feel better?"_

_Lola shrugged. "Uh, yeah, sure. Can we go to the Caribbean?"_

_Will smiled, wrapping his arm around her shoulders as he continued channel surfing. "Of course, beautiful. Whatever my princess wants, she's going to get. Ooo,_ **_Dexter_ ** _is on."_

_She hoped that she wouldn't come to regret this, but she loved Will so much and she would do just about anything to make him happy._

**_PRESENT DAY_ **

"Ok, let's do this!"

Lola clapped her hands as she walked out onto the track, clad in a pleated checkered flag mini skirt, a low cut checkered flag and hot pink bolero top and black knee high go-go boots. _Maxim_ was really taking the checkered flag style to the extreme, she had already been photographed in a sexy jumpsuit and another bolero top with checked shorts.

"Wow..." Mouse trailed off, lowering his sunglasses. "With a skirt that short, I don't need my imagination." He looked over at Will. "Seriously, that girl is a super hot piece of tail. Now I know why you call her your perfect ten trophy wife."

"I am lucky, because she has a heart bigger than those boobs and a body that was made to bring fantasies to life." He smiled, watching her being photographed leaned back on his race car. She really was so beautiful... and all his.

"Perfect, Lola." Jack Nesbitt, the photographer, snapped away as Aerosmith played on the speakers. Like Alvin, he had also photographed some of the biggest names in the world. "How about we go full checked and break out the bikini? Dallas is going to love these."

Lola threw her head back and laughed as he continued photographing. "No problem. Why don't you get the soapy water and sponge ready while you're at it?"

She hopped off the race car, pulling her hair out of the low side pony before unzipping her jacket and skirt and removing her boots, revealing a black and pink bikini top and matching bikini bottoms.

Will was having mixed feelings over seeing her so bare with this many people around. While he was thrilled to see "Pebbles and BamBam" (as he referred to her breasts and butt), he also wanted to throw a blanket over her, but she was so thrilled he didn't want to ruin things.

"You're definitely bringing belly button rings back, Lola. Ok, now I want you to get on the hood of the car again, lean forward with your back arched."

Will had to admit he was a little jealous of Jack. They somewhat looked alike and he already knew what a ladies man Jack was.

"You got it."

Lola strutted over, shaking her hips from side to side in a circle and laughing before getting on the car, that Grade A ass of hers arched up. She was having the time of her life, feeling like the star she was born to be.

Will wasn't sure whether it was the barely-there outfit, the implied flirtations or the provocative poses, but something inside him snapped.

"That's perfect. Hey Lola, I've been meaning to ask, what's your ethnicity? Lean back on the and arch forward, spread your hair out on the windshield."

"I'm English, French and a little bit of Scottish on my dad's side, and I'm Hungarian, Danish and a bit Cherokee on my mom's side."

Jack smiled. "Wow, what a combo. I bet you'd look pretty damn cute in one of those little Indian girl outfits."

Lola laughed. "I may have to take you up on that, Jack."

She leaned on the car and arched up, looking seductively at the camera. This really was a terrific experience, what could possibly ruin it?

Will could no longer handle this mild flirtation, Jack was probably getting spank bank material for his own private collection at this point, every photographer has one.

"You're doing it all wrong, you need to highlight on her face." Will barged in.

"I am highlighting correctly."

Will shook his head. "No, like this. Babe, sit up." He walked over to Lola, fixing her hair to frame her face. "There, like that."

Jack shrugged. "Alright. Ok, keep doing what you're doing, Lola."

She resumed her posing, only for her husband to shake his head.

"That's still not right."

Jack looked up at him. "I don't know about you, but I've been doing this a lot longer than you have, Halstead. I'm one of the best in the business, I think I know what I'm doing."

Will just ignored him, his frustrations building. "Don't listen to him, Lola. Look over here." He started snapping his fingers for his wife to follow his direction, but she wasn't. "Lola, baby, look over at me."

Jack shook his head. "Don't listen to him, Lola. Look at me and me only. You're doing fantastic."

"Lola. Lola." Will tried desperately to get her attention. "Lola. Lola."

"WHAT?!" She whipped her head around, giving him the mother of all glares. Before he could reply, Lola turned to Jack. "Jack, would you mind excusing us for a moment, please?"

He nodded. "No problem. Alright, let's take a 10 minute break!"

Lola hopped off the car and grabbed Will by the arm. "What is your problem?!" She hissed, dragging them away. "Do you not have the common sense to keep your damn mouth shut?!"

Will was flabbergasted, feeling the wrath of the hot seat. "Babe, I-"

"Don't 'babe' me, Will! You just completely embarrassed me and made an ass out of yourself."

Will rolled his eyes, not taking her seriously. "Lola, you're underestimating me. I'm your husband, I know all your workable angles."

"So does Jack, it's his job!" Lola rubbed her temples and shook her head, her mind spinning. "You know what? No. I'm not going to argue with you and further embarrass both of us."

He nodded. "You're right, gotta keep it professional."

She looked up at him, knowing her next words would piss him off. "You need to leave, now."

Will's mouth flew open. "What?! Are you serious? Me?! That's _my_ car, this is _my_ track. I see your face more times in a day than I see my own, I know what I'm talking about!

Lola shook her head. "I don't care, you're stressing me out I can't even concentrate!" She snapped her fingers, beckoning her bodyguard. "Capp!"

Will gulped. A former marine, Capp had been the family bodyguard for years, but he scared the shit out of him. "Lolo, you don't mean this."

"Oh, but I do. Remember Will," she grabbed his shirt, yanking him down to her level, her eyes narrowed. "For years, I've lived in your shadow, and it's finally my time to shine. My face is gonna be everywhere and then some. I'm the star now, and not a damn thing you do is going to get in my way."

He shook his head and broke free of her grasp. "I knew it, you're head has gotten way too big! I was worried about this."

This was true, he had made her and now she had become bigger than big. Launching her modeling career had been almost a little too easy. Maybe it was all the years of calls Mouse had been receiving about her, because she has catapulted and beyond.

The commercials for BMW and Gucci Guilty were on all the time, and soon enough so would the ones for Levi's with Jonathan Rhys-Meyers. After Lola appeared by Will's side when he spoke at the Democratic National Convention in June, Rock the Vote! came up with a campaign of the two of them with the singer Halsey, entitling it "Halsey and Halstead". Ed Sheeran and Jonah Hill wanted to meet her to discuss future projects, Versace called asking her to be their new face, _GQ_ and _Vanity Fair_ had also contacted Mouse, and she would be leaving next month for the Big 4 Fashion Week and then the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. Following a video of her, Jamie Nichols, Alison Rafferty and Robin Cox in the tropics lip syncing and dancing to "Can't Stop The Feeling!" by Justin Timberlake hit the internet around the same time the NASCAR lip syncing version with Will and Jay debuted, a super fan had made a video of Will and Lola side by side while lip syncing and dancing around, which prompted the producers of _Lip Sync Battle_ to invite Will back once again and compete against Lola since the Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan Tatum showdown had gone over so well. In a couple months time, Lola's face would further be everywhere.

"Why? I've had to deal with your overinflated ego for years! I deserve this. I've earned this!"

"Whatever, I'm gone. You are so going to regret this."

"Let's go, sir."

Capp put his hand on Will's shoulder, only to have the fiery ginger shove him off.

"Get the hell off of me! I'm leaving on my own."

Lola didn't even try to beg Will to come back, she just let him go. She knew the reason why he was so angry. It had been a month since Lola found out they weren't pregnant and while crushed at first, Will began to take his frustrations out by having temper tantrums. He tried to be calm but couldn't contain himself unless he was racing or Paisley was around when she came home from camp, or if he just didn't have the energy. Unfortunately, the jig was officially up.

"Are you alright, Mrs. Halstead?"

Lola turned around to see Doris walking up. A young PA on _Real Housewives_ , Doris had caught her snorting the Wellbutrin. Lola, completely terrified about her secret being spilled, had decided to make Doris her own personal assistant and move her into the guest house with Louise and Inez.

Lola nodded, titling her head back so her tears wouldn't fall. "Yes, Doris. I'm alright. Thank you. Actually, would you mind getting me a water with a straw, please? I'm parched."

"No problem."

Lola walked over to Jack. "Jack, I'm so sorry about all of that."

Jack shook his head. "You have nothing to apologize for, Lola. Nothing at all."

"Ok."

"Hey," he stopped her from leaving, gently putting his hand on her shoulder. "you alright? You wanna take a bit longer?"

She shook her head. "No, I'm fine. He's being an ass, maybe it's that time of the month again."

Jack snorted. "Ha, that's a good one. You have a good sense of humor, especially about something like this. You're brave to be married, I could never."

"Somedays I wonder how much it's worth it." She shook her head. "Anyways, let's just resume the shots. As long as I'm able to go pick up Paisley by 2. It's her last day at camp."

"No problem. You have my number, shoot me a text or something if you ever need to talk."

Jack squeezed her shoulder with a smile before walking off. Walking back to Will's race car, Lola wasn't sure if he was being flirtatious or not, but he seemed sincere enough.

**_MEANWHILE, BACK WITH THE OTHER HALSTEADS_ **

"Mmm, Erin, this is so hot." Jay gripped onto Erin's hips as he pounded into her, his speed varying as she laid back on the bed. The boys were at camp with Paisley and the other kids, they had the whole house to themselves and decided to take advantage of the alone time.

With only a week left into her pregnancy, Erin couldn't wait. She was feeling absolutely uncomfortable with everything, she was hot and cold all the time and could hardly sleep, her hormones were a mess.

"How are you not repulsed by your whale of a wife?"

Jay snorted. "Ha, not even close, babe. You're so beautiful, I love you."

He leaned down, giving her a passionate French kiss and thrusting forward, going faster when he felt her tightening.

"Jay, I'm there. I'm there!"

Erin threw her head against the pillows and screamed, enjoying this release, Jay exploding inside before collapsing on top of her.

"Wow." He panted out, both of them covered in sweat as he kissed her shoulder up to her neck. "That was hot, Er. I love it when you cum."

Erin started squirming a bit, knowing the weird feeling she was getting wasn't all from the sex.

"Jay?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm pretty sure my water just broke."


	28. Ch-Ch-Changes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will becomes increasingly annoyed and jealous over Lola's rising career; Jay and Erin's baby joy is briefly interrupted by a visitor from the past, whom Will is secretly delighted to see.

**Hey guys! So sorry it's been over a month since I updated last! Things have been crazy with school and I finally took my car in, but I finally managed a new chapter! I tried to replicate as much as the remote scene as I could, I hope you all like it! Be sure to check out my new stories** **_BeNt and JaDeD_ ** **for the** **_Degrassi_ ** **fandom and** **_Princesita de Papá (Daddy's Little Princess)_ ** **for the** **_Good Behavior_ ** **fandom! Thanks so much to M39151, MsIsabella and Naley23alwaysforever for their reviews! The end will have you all with your mouths hanging open!**

**Chapter Twenty Eight: Ch-Ch-Changes**

**_TWO HOURS LATER_ **

"I just don't know what to do. I mean, she's my wife, I'm proud of her, but I don't know if I can fully support this. To think I'm the one that started it all for Lola." Will sighed heavily as he paced back and forth in front of the race track entrance on his cellphone, waiting for Lola to finish up the photo shoot. "I can't help but feel neglected here, you know what I mean?"

Before the voice on the other end could reply, Will's phone beeped. He pulled back to see it was Jay.

"Hold that thought, I have to call you back. Jay is on the other line. Bye." He switched lines, smiling when the call connected.

"What's going on, lil bro?"

"Hey, man. Erin's water just broke. We're on our way to the hospital. I need you and Lola to pick up the kids."

Will nodded, even though Jay couldn't see him. "You got it, we'll be there. Lola knows where the camp is."

 

"I see Heat Miser stuck around." Jack nodded his head at Will as he walked Lola out of the arena.

She couldn't help biting her lip so she wouldn't laugh. "He definitely has a fire to him, it can either be his greatest advantage or his greatest detriment."

He shrugged. "Must be a redhead thing, I should know. I'd like to think of myself as pretty easy going, my wild side is usually in the bedroom."

Lola could feel her cheeks burning up and shook her head, changing the subject. Jack was very nonchalant, but she shouldn't be engaging in those kinds of conversations. After all, she was a married woman. "He has his moments. Thanks again for everything, Jack. I'm sorry about earlier, he's just-"

Jack shook his head. "You have nothing to explain, shit happens. You've gotta stop apologizing for things that aren't your fault."

"Old habit I suppose."

Jack was right, how long had she been apologizing for Will's jackassery?

"No worries. I'll let you know when I'm done editing the pictures, maybe we can go out for drinks next time I'm in town, blow off some steam?"

Will hung up the phone as Lola was saying good bye to Jack and the crew before walking out. He was annoyed at the look Jack was giving his wife and how he kissed her on the cheek, but that was irrelevant right now. Jack saluted him before Lola made her way over.

"Hi, Will. What are you still doing here?" She asked, slinging her metallic blue Karl Lagerfeld bag over her shoulder, wearing a powder blue and silver sparkle T-shirt, cut off denim shorts and platform wedge sandals. "I figured you would have left."

He shook his head. "Nah, I wouldn't leave. I just needed to step away, you did the right thing by throwing me out."

"I'm glad you're admitting it, but it doesn't change the fact that you made a complete ass out of yourself."

"Trust me, I know. I didn't mean to ruin the photo shoot. You deserve this, babe."

Will was no stranger to being outspoken, but he wasn't always conscientious of his surroundings or those around him. Lola folded her arms across her chest.

"Of course, I worked for it. I don't know what to say here, Will. It's the same story. You throw a tempter tantrum, say you're sorry, buy me a gift and then it starts all over again next time something makes you tick. It's a damn viscous circle and it's like you were on auto pilot during our sessions with Dr. Charles."

"I wasn't-" he shook his head "it's not like that I swear. Listen to me, Erin's water broke."

Lola's ambivalent expression changed. "Oh, my gosh. She's in labor?"

"They're on the way to the hospital. I told Jay we would watch Ryder and Tripp until the baby arrives."

"Of course, absolutely. Good thing they're all at camp."

"Mmhmm. But if you want we can discuss this further later on? There's some things I'd like to say that I've been holding on to because I was trying to suppress it."

"Lola!"

Mouse came running up to them before she could reply, leaving Lola intrigued on what her husband wanted to admit.

"Hey Mouse, what's going on?" Lola asked, seeing that Mouse had a huge smile on his face.

"Seriously, if your husband wasn't one of my best friends and biggest clients, I'd kiss you on the mouth. I swear, my phone is ringing off the hook and all the deals I've secured, my kid will never have to worry about diapers or college tuition."

"Snow's pregnant?" Will asked, to which Mouse nodded.

"Yep, and it's a boy!"

While Lola was happy for the couple, she could feel the wrath of her husband's frustrations.

"Wow, must be nice."

Lola dared not to look at him. Hearing about anybody's pregnancy was dreadful to both of them because it wasn't their own. Luckily, the excitement Mouse currently had made him oblivious.

"Anyways, I've got two more offers on the table for you. The first one is for Annie Leibovitz' latest _Disney Dreams_ portrait."

Her jaw nearly hit the floor. "Annie Leibovitz wants to photograph me?!"

"Not just you, you and Will. She said it's because you two really are the all American couple."

"I'd have to agree, we pretty much are a super power couple." Will said. "What's it for?"

" _Hercules_ and the tag line is "Where a hero is never a zero". They've already got Peter Dinklage on board as Phil, Steve Buscemi as Hades, Bryan Cranston as Zeus and Fifth Harmony will be portraying The Muses."

"Wow, that sounds fantastic! Annie Leibovitz is one of the most renowned photographers of all time, she's a genius."

"That's not all, little lady. I got a call from Jenji Kohan herself, she's seen your commercials and when you were on The View, you have an audition for Season 5 of _Orange is the New Black_!"

Lola's mouth flew open and she was practically stammering. "What? Mouse," she shook her head. "I love you but you cannot kid me like this. You know how much Halstead-Voight loves that show. Hank is a huge fan. Remember we tried to get him on there as one of the wardens?"

"Yeah, which is why you're going to knock the audition out of the park. It's mostly a table read with Taylor Schilling, Laura Prepon, Kate Mulgrew, Natasha Lyonne and Lea Delaria."

"Shut up! Me, Lola Halstead, is going to be reading with Red and Big Boo?!" Lola jumped in the air screaming, jumping all around and laughing. "Oh, my god! Oh, my god! Oh, my god!"

Will was smiling slightly but he was annoyed. Now she was going to act? How much more of this could he possibly take?!

"And to think, you just wanted to do one little photo shoot. Look how it all blew up." He imitated a bomb exploding before snickering. "What's next, baby? A goddamn singing career? I'll hit up Scooter Braun."

Lola's smile disappeared, knowing that he would have some kind of a reaction.

Mouse finally caught on to the vibe and backed away. "Well, I'll leave you to the rest of your day. Let me know ASAP about everything so I can officially confirm it."

"You've got it, Mouse. Thank you so much."

"Come on," Will nodded his head to the side. "Let's pick up the kids."

* * *

 

"Mommy!"

Paisley ran over to Lola as soon as she saw her walking down on the dock, jumping into her arms. Lola had the biggest smile on her face as she spun Paisley around.

"Paisley Boo!"

She gave her only child big kisses all over her face, stroking her hair and holding her tightly as she sat on her knees on the dock. "Oh, I missed you so much, my love. How was your last day at camp?"

"So much fun! Best day ever!"

Lola smiled as she tucked a loose strand from Paisley's ponytail behind her ear. "Well, I'm glad. Pai Pai, I've got-"

"Daddy!"

The little girl shoved past her mother and ran up to Will, leaving Lola dumbfounded. Whenever Will arrived anywhere (or Cooper Severide, for that manner), Paisley would drop everything and completely dote on him. She really was such a daddy's girl.

"Hi, Peppermint Paisley!"

Will started tossing her up in the air as she laughed, Lola turning around to witness it all. Why couldn't he always be like this?

"Did you have fun at camp, princess?"

Paisley nodded. "Yep, sure did."

"Good, because Mommy and I have big news to tell you and your cousins. Where are they?"

Paisley rested her head on Will's shoulder and pointed to the lake. "Over there. What's the big news?"

"Aunt Erin's water broke." Lola said, rubbing Paisley's back. "She's on her way to the hospital right now to deliver Baby Mackenzie."

The little girl's face lit up. "Baby! Baby's coming, the baby's coming! Come on, we gotta go! I wanna see Auntie Erin's baby!"

Will laughed. "Yes, sweetheart. The baby's coming, but it might not be for a few hours or even tomorrow. Let's go get the boys."

* * *

 

"Uncle Will, Aunt Lola, may we please play the video games?" Ryder asked.

Lola nodded. "Sure. Will, give them some money."

The five of them were currently at Red Robin, after having taken the kids to see a double feature of _Finding Dory_ and _The Secret Life of Pets_. Lola was thankful for the 184 minutes spent with her daughter and nephews, she was also grateful from the brief break from the film crew. Will had been in the lobby on the phone almost the entire time. Business never ended with him.

"Here you go, come back if you need more." Will fished some money out of his wallet and handed it to Ryder, who marveled at the sight.

"Wow, $100! Thanks, Uncle Will!"

Will smirked, ruffling his hair. "No problem, buddy."

"Ryder, make sure you hold their hands, ok?"

Once the children left, Lola took a bite out of her burger. Will looked down at the huge hamburger, fries and milkshake that were currently in front of his wife.

"Are you sure you should be eating that, babe? That's not exactly on a model's diet. Plus, you had a super sized ICEE, Cookie Dough Bites, popcorn and cotton candy at the movies."

Lola shrugged. "I shared it with the kids. Marino and Windsor told me I actually need to gain weight. I'm closer to the minimum weight limit of 90 pounds than the maximum of 120, which was my weight for as long as I can remember." She gave him a sarcastic smile. "I'm surprised you're not encouraging me to throw it all up. Your bullshit antics are literally killing me, Will. Tell me, are you happy?"

Will huffed, running a hand over his face. "How am I supposed to reply to that, Lola? No, that doesn't make me happy at all. I'm feeling conflicted here."

"What's to be conflicted about? I'm your wife, my happiness should matter, also."

"And it does, it's just that..." he really didn't want to admit this, but he knew he had to come clean. "You've been working with lots of big names lately. Male big names. First Jared Leto with the Gucci Guilty commercial, then Jonathan Rhys Meyers with the Levi's spot, and now that mini film thing you're shooting in Paris next week."

Lola had been cast in a short film to launch the newest ad campaign for Chanel. It was set in Paris and had a Cinderella feel set to Grace's cover of "You Don't Own Me" with Lola losing her shoe encountering five different men, one a boy and one elderly while the rest were still young. Jacob Tremblay had been cast as the boy and Robert Duvall would be the old man while Sam Heughan, Justin Hartley and Max Irons would be the three men pursuing her, the latter sharing a kiss with her underneath a firework filled sky.

"At least the Outlander dude is a dead ringer for me, and I know I fuck you as good as he fucks her on the show. Hell, Justin Hartley's abs make me jealous." Will cleared his throat. "I'll confess, that Max Irons is one good looking sunovabitch. If I were a chick I'd probably let him bend me over and fuck me every which way, in every orifice. I swear that guy probably crushes more p-"

"Will!" Lola hissed under her breath. "There's children here, I don't want people to look."

"You're right, I'm sorry. What I'm trying to say is I'm jealous and worried that you'll leave me for one of them."

Lola couldn't help but smirk. "The king narcissist is insecure? Wow, I truly have seen it all." She sipped some of her milkshake. "I don't feel sorry for you, Will. Welcome to the other side."

He really wasn't getting anywhere with her, which was incredibly frustrating. "You wouldn't do that though, right? Whatever you had or have with them would never match the love that we have for each other." Will grabbed her hand in both of his and gave it a kiss. "I'm serious, Lola."

In a way, it was endearing to see his vulnerability, since they both knew he had a reason to be such. "That doesn't excuse your behavior. How would you like it if I threw a little temper tantrum every time some young fan flung herself at you? We both know how our respective business fields work."

"I do but you're actually working and interacting with these guys."

"Like you weren't interacting with that Russian whore Zoya?" Lola narrowed her eyes in a glare, to which Will felt himself cowering. "Remember her, the woman that had your nuts in a vice and would have destroyed your family, career and entire life if she had had her way?"

"Lola, I-"

She held her hand up. "Save it, Halstead. No point in rehashing. I don't want to keep talking about this. For the record, I'm not leaving you, but don't be surprised if I do."

Will looked down, a lump in his throat until he felt Lola sneak him a kiss on the cheek. He gazed up at her, earthy brown meeting blue and gold.

"Don't keep giving me reasons to contemplate doing it." She whispered in his ear before going back to her food. There wasn't too much harm in keeping him on his toes... what goes around comes around...

* * *

 

"Wow, she's so beautiful, Erin."

Jay smiled as they looked on their newborn baby girl in Erin's arms. Mackenzie Sophia Halstead had been born at 8:21 at night, 7 lbs, 9 oz, 16.5 inches long. She was looking around the room, currently blinking her green eyes.

"Hi, my little princess. Mommy and Daddy love you so much." Erin gave her kisses on her little cheeks as Jay kissed her on the head, only a knock at the door interrupting them.

"It's probably my brother. Come in."

"Hey, guys."

Jay and Erin both felt their blood freeze when they recognized the voice, looking over to see Natalie in her doctor's scrubs and white lab coat, a smile on her face and a giant pink teddy bear in her arms.

"Uh, Natalie... hi..." Jay said, sitting up on the bed and feeling very tense. "How are you?"

"Fantastic, and so are you I can imagine. Hi, little angel." She set the teddy bear down next to the other baby gifts that had been sent to Erin and walked over to peer at the baby. "She's precious. May I hold her?"

"How did you know we were here?" Erin tersely asked, turning Mackenzie away in her arms.

"It's the same hospital the boys were born in, it's the best one in town."

"That's true, it is and Dr. Shore is outstanding." Jay said.

Erin nodded. "Thanks for the bear. I'm suddenly feeling very tired, Will and Lola will be here any minute with the boys and Paisley. Remember Lola, Will's wife, and their daughter Paisley that also happened to be born in this hospital?"

Natalie smirked. "How could I forget? Her unstable mug is across the country everywhere you look. I can't imagine Will is handling this very well, it sounds like he only wants her to be his little painted doll."

"Funny, because that's the exact same thing he said about you, Natalie."

Erin could feel her blood boiling, yet she was proud of her insult. Who the hell did this bitch think she was, strolling in and trying to ruin this day?!

"Ha, no he wouldn't." Natalie said. "Will was incredibly supportive of MY career, which I worked hard for, long hours of studying and practice. I didn't get it by doing the splits and sleeping my way up the ladder."

"Natalie," Jay stepped forward, a gentle hand on Natalie's shoulder, knowing Erin was about to flip out. "I don't think you should be here. The bear is much appreciated and we thank you for it, but I don't feel that your intentions are genuine right now. Out of respect for your former family, please leave."

"Fine." Natalie walked toward the door, looking over her shoulder as she turned the knob. "I get the feeling that this won't be the last you'll see of me." She smiled before walking out the door, leaving Erin and Jay baffled.

"What the hell was that all about?" Jay asked.

Erin shrugged. "I have no idea, but she's talking out of her uptight ass, that's for sure."

When Natalie closed the door, she looked over to her left and saw Will and Lola walking down the hall with her former nephews and Paisley, Lola holding her and Tripp's hands, the _Real Housewives_ crew following them. That Lola really was beautiful. Natalie understood why Will married his rebound after the divorce, but she unfortunately fell into the category of beauties without brains. Paisley on the other hand was an undeniable cutie, just like she had said at the banquet.

Ahhh, the banquet. Ever since meeting Lola in person, Natalie disliked her, but after that ridiculous phone call it was a safe bet they both genuinely hated each other. The whole thing was laughable, if the tables were turned, Lola would be doing handstands in order to secure a father for her child.

"Aunt Lola, could you please tie my shoe?"

"Of course, cutie pie." Lola stopped and bent down, taking the laces in her hands. "I know it's tricky, but you just have to remember the bunny ears. You make the bunny ears out of both laces and cross them over so they can be a bow. There you go."

Tripp smiled. "Thanks so much, Aunt Lola!"

Lola squeezed his shoulder. "No problem, sweetie. Now, kids, before we go in there, don't forget we have to use our library voices. I know you're all excited to see the new baby. I am, also, but she's a baby and they don't like to be disrupted by loud noises. It's unknown and confusing to them and they need a lot of sleep."

While Lola was explaining all this to the kids, Will walked ahead and smiled when he saw Natalie, it had felt like forever. Her heart nearly skipped a beat when she saw him, subsiding the anger she felt over Lola depriving her Owen of a real father. Will was perfectly capable of being a father to both children.

"Natalie." He whispered with his smile still intact.

She nodded and started walking towards the elevator. "Will."

When she walked by, their hands briefly locked, fingers sliding through each other as they looked over their shoulders and shared a secret smile.

"Yes, Aunt Lola." Ryder nodded. "We'll be quiet for Sister."

"I'll be good, Mommy. I hope she likes the unicorn!" Paisley held up a giant Princess Celestia My Little Pony, making Lola smile.

"Good. Alright, let's go. Of course she'll love it, my little Paisley Puddin Pop. Baby Mackenzie is lucky to have a big cousin like you to show her all the girly things."

"Come on, babe. They're waiting." Will helped Lola off her knees and motioned for her to go inside, giving her butt a love tap as he stole one last glance at Natalie before following the rest of the family. What he had completely forgotten was the camera crew following them, taping every moment...


End file.
